


Not so lonely Lone Wanderer

by Mskitten85



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 3
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Obsession, Slow Build, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-06
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-03-13 21:54:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 15
Words: 59,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13579674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mskitten85/pseuds/Mskitten85
Summary: In 2077 the world fell apart, raining death, destruction and the near collapse of humanity as we know it. Vault-Tec and it's signature product seemed like the only hope and in some ways it was. In some ways, the cold metallic cruelty within it's walls was more than anyone should have to bear. Two from the outside found a home there until circumstances separated Father and daughter and started a waterfall of consequences that would change Arianna and her protector forever.





	1. In the Beginning

Even for a scientific mind, grief cripples in mind numbing waves. Arianna wiggled a bit in a too tight grip as James gave the lab one last look around and tried to fathom the why behind his world falling in flaming disarray around them. It was late, the room empty and the whirr of machines echoed in an odd rhythm along with the pings of metal on metal and lapping of the Potomac at the bow of the old ship. An eerie quiet after the rattle of gunfire and shouts as super mutants from the nest a half a click up made another run at the old essex class carrier. While the tub and it’s security repelled the attempted invasion, it just hit home how unsafe the wasteland was, even if riveted steel stood between it and the pair of them. Time to leave what was left of the old Naval Yard and head for the closest place of safety he could think of.

Vault 101 was near Springvale, an outlying suburb of old D.C. and no small journey to undertake, especially with an infant whose lifespan in weeks could be counted on one hand. It took a bit of juggling but James managed to get the pack with a few supplies over both shoulders with as little jarring of his baby girl as possible. Settling back down as her father nestled her inside the leather armor on his chest, Ari didn’t last long and drifted off with the thump of his heart as the sweetest lullaby. From the upper hallway Dr. Li’s voice floated down and James quickly slipped out the lower bulkhead door before she entered the lab, unwilling to have yet another confrontation, another argument about the project and his desertion but with Catherine’s death, nothing mattered save the baby. Stroking the downy head one more time before heading across the metal bridge, James headed out on his quest with nary a look back, cutting towards the memorial to meet Cross. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun began to disappear on the western horizon, elongating shadows and stealing the weak warmth of the sun like a thief. Arianna whined and moved restlessly, tired of the close prison and very possibly the stench of her father’s unwashed body after days on the road. Hadn’t been easy for them, the threesome dodging raiders and mutated wildlife with increasing frequency as the Doc took shortcuts to lessen time and the meager supplies which were quickly diminishing with a hungry infant bundled up under thick leather. Megaton loomed on the horizon and James broke into a trot, the movement rocking the baby quiet for a bit and shaving a few more minutes off his arrival time with the Paladin keeping time despite the hefty armor.

Officer Weld stood just outside the main doors, cold starlight reflecting off the few reflective surfaces left among the grimy exterior, his dome light dim with the same film of wasteland dirt. “Welcome to Megaton. The bomb is perfectly safe. We promise” The platitude delivered in a tinny whine as the clunky protectron sidled to the left and opened the gate, rattle echoing down the hillside and cracked remains of a lost highway that James jogged up on approach. 

“James, a moment.” Star Cross stowed her weapon and with a snap and a hiss the helmet slid from her head, revealing close cropped hair and ebony skin. A smile flashed white teeth when she spoke again. “I have upheld my duty to Elder Lyons and to you. A return to the Citadel is in order. “ 

The Doc laughed, his own smile rare enough and dimmer than the woman remembered it. “Come on Star, you know traveling at night is twice as dangerous, even for a Brotherhood Paladin. I’ll find lodgings and you can rest until the sun rises.” Not taking no for an answer, he turned on his heel as the reluctant Paladin dogged his heels. Didn’t take much to find Simms, then find Moriarty’s for a room for the night. A shower while the Brotherhood cyborg watched Arianna and a meal later, the three settled down with James and his daughter sleeping heavy due to exhaustion while Cross kept watch, dark eyes keen and unblinking while the noise from the bar downstairs failed to make either of her companions stir. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The farewell between old comrades held elements of both sadness and a hope that this step was the right one. Cross knew her friend in arms grieved deeply but losing him and the project doomed the small sliver of promise inherent in what humanity would have gained had things not gone sideways so late in the game. The cyborg gave James an awkward hug and stepped back, gazing without rancor into the face of a man who’d become a close friend during her assignment to the purifier. “I wish you luck James. I know this decision was difficult but you must do what is best for both of you.” Her faint smile spoke to the honesty of her words. “I think perhaps I will see you again. Though” 

James nodded and clapped a hand on her shoulder, Arianna snoozing in the crook of her father’s other arm. “Perhaps. Steel be with you old friend.” He watched as the gleaming power armor faded into the dusty morning before tucking his daughter away safely against his chest and heading towards Springvale and the vault entrance. 

A few hours perhaps and the ruins of once thriving Springvale came into view. Shells of houses like grave markers dotted the landscape, the school basically all that really had any substance but a raider faction had taken up residence so he took care to skirt that section of town on his way up the hill. An eyebot hummed along the main street, Enclave rhetoric in President Eden’s voice making James wince but he kept moving, the machine more propaganda then threatening. The gate to Vault 101 came into view, a decrepit door that hung at an angle in a rotting frame, the only hint at its use being oiled hinges and a hodgepodge of footprints going in each direction. So it was true, the doors had been opened more than once. Boded well for his mission here so James yanked on the handle and entered the dimness of the tunnel behind it.

Menacing, dank with a faint smell of decomposition, the farther down James went, the more evidence of the past became noticeable. Bones bleached with age littered the floor amongst the dust and rubble, human and animal mixed in with trash and protest signs that probably dated back to the bombs dropping in 2077. Averting his eyes, James pressed the intercom at the entrance control panel and waited.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

James watched as his daughter entered the cafeteria, astonishment lit up pert features and tawny eyes as ‘surprise’ bounced off the walls. Grinning in his direction, she moved into the small gathering with unusual confidence, in that moment so much like his Catherine it hurt his soul. Her mother’s daughter, intellect surpassing her peers and many adults in their provisional home already with no signs of stopping, not a day went past that he didn’t see his lost love in the curve of a cheekbone or the flash of irritation when denied her own way. Not once did he regret the move to the vault, not when looking at what the pair of them had created in the slight person even now the center of attention.

Meanwhile, Arianna basked in the small gathering, watching with rounded eyes as Stanley clipped the heavy Pipboy to her left wrist. “Stanley, wow this is so cool.” Didn’t take a minute for her deft fingers to start exploring the internal workings, cataloging and marking certain functions for later analysis and only looking up when he settled a baseball cap on her head. “You’re welcome kid. And this is for our star pitcher.” A nod and he sat back down on the barstool, leaning back as Andy hovered past with cake in two of his three arms, bobbled it a bit before it hit the counter with a thump. 

Wally, Butch, Freddie, some of the older vault residents and of course Amata and her father were lingering in boothes and at tables, chatter inane and polite as the small girl made rounds with a notably adult aplomb. Accepting gifts with an engaging smile and impeccable manners, everything was going well until Andy massacred the cake and Butch pulled the usual bully intimidation tact of threats. Arianna retaliated with words first, punch to his fat nose next. Other than his friends angry protests, the only censure came from the Overseer and she knew what his thoughts were from experience. Doc’s brat was starting shit again. The man hated her and Amata’s closeness and seemed to resent her father. Ari was shrugging it off when her dad approached. 

“Sweetheart, I have another gift for you. Head down to the reactor and meet Jonas. I’ll meet you down there.” A little shove sent her reluctant feet towards the lower levels, glancing back over a shoulder with a frown furrowing her brow but her steps carried her through a number of doors till she makes it down to the reactor level. Jonas waited by one of the hatch doors, grin widening as Arianna approached and proudly showed off her new stuff.

“Hey Jonas, isn’t this great? I’m almost all grown up now.” Her eyes scanned the corners and shadows and the absence of her father began to dawn on her.

Jonas chuckled. “You sure are! Pip-Boy and everything, look at that! If you can wait just one more minute, I think your dad will want to give you the surprise himself.” A pause as footsteps from another staircase brought both heads around. “And here he is.”

“Dad!” Ari clapped her hands and looked him over expectantly, not missing the hands behind his back. “What do you have for me now?” 

Dark eyes widened even further as her father revealed what lay hidden, a BB gun and a can of ammo, setting it in her hands with a laugh. “Now that you’re all grown up it’s time for us to start working on your skills. Go ahead and take a few shots.” Down at the end of the room targets were set up and it didn’t take the diminutive child long to figure out the workings of the simple firearm. A rachet or two and without hesitation she started firing, the clang and spin of the metal discs loud in the long room. Turning with a smirk, Ari opened her mouth to speak when a chittering echoed from the left when another door led down to the maintenance tunnels. 

“Radroach...Arianna hand me the gun.” Jonas reached out but James forestalled him. 

“No. She has to learn to take care of herself.” Laying a firm hand on her back, James gave his daughter a push. “Take the shot Arianna.”

The pair shared a prolonged glance before she gave a nod and did as told, making the insect jerk and splatter along a stack of crates. James laughed and picked her up, spinning them around till even Jonas cracked a smile despite the lingering edge of discomfort in his gaze. “She’ll be on radroach duty before you know it at this rate.”

Palming a camera over to his friend, the Doc pulled Arianna around and into a one armed side hug. “Take a picture Jonas, I want her to remember this.” The flash blinded her for a second but the smile dazzled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Out in the sterile corridor, Arianna, Raina to her friends, drug her feet in a proverbial sense. Damn the man he never missed a thing. Not like this test meant jack, it wasn’t a pass or fail kinda concern, it was the pointlessness of it all. Out of the three hundred or so residents in the vault, her proper place among them seemed obvious as the nose on her face. Why a test had anything to do with her aptitude for certain tasks just made no sense. Full lips curled in a impish smile. Hell, since eleven she’d been hacking files and digging around electronic innards as well as learning the intricacies of human ones from her father. He’d managed to light a fire in her, a passion for new and more daring escapades that just wouldn’t die down.

Passing John, one of the other youngsters in the same age bracket, Raina flashed a breezy smile and headed up to the classroom level. Get it over with and then the day was hers, busy brain already making plans.


	2. The G.O.A.T

Boredom. One word summed up life in the cold sterile world of steel they inhabited. Two men in blue reflected off shaded windows as the pair made rounds for what seemed the hundredth time, same view, same lack of stimulus or activity. An endless parade of day to day that made even radroach duty seem pleasant. Chris had spent childhood here, playing in endless steel corridors and wondering what lay beyond the vault door. Adulthood hadn't brought many answers and the ones that had been revealed left him restless and searching. 

Security detail had been a no brainer, Overseer looking for the biggest and baddest of the males and as a teen the brazen male saw it as the only escape from monotony available. He’d been partially correct, small pockets of tumult in a tiresome parade of routine. Just like today. Closed environment, nothing new making it's way into the dull grind save the machinations of a few females that at least kept the ennui away. Still, he had hope that another foray into the wasteland was on the Overseer’s books soon, Chris feeling stagnation like a disease creeping in.

A nudge from Hunter brought him back to the present, gaze swinging first to his friend then down the corridor indicated by a jerk of a chin. What was slowly unfolding there brought a raised eyebrow and a smirk. Chris answered with a nod and the pair began to slowly walk towards the growing ruckus with hands resting on the batons at their waist.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arianna was pissed. No other way to put it and it showed in the line of tension that brought her up to her full though puny height of a whole two inches above five feet. She’d seen Butch and his lowlife crew giving Amata hell as soon as she turned the corner by the classroom hall. Her guess, it was more lust unrequited than actual anger at her friend but still, no excuses for it and as usual, Arianna rushed ahead without a single thought other than aid. Hell all that was waiting was that damned GOAT and her attempts at pulling a fast one had been caught and quashed.

So, heedless of the odds, she'd given Butch a shove from behind and sneered in a perfect copy of his own tone. "God Butch, stop acting like an asshole." Sidling up to Amata's side, brown eyes the color of warm chocolate stared up at the bigger teen as her feet planted, offset and shoulder width apart. Arms still relaxed at the side but there was a stillness there, watchful, predatory and completely calm.

Butch glared back. "Mind your own Arianna, this is between me and Amata." Shifting gaze back to the darker of the pair, he grabbed her arm a second time. "You're uppity as hell. Overseer's daughter with all the privileges." Amata tried to jerk free, face set in panicked lines as the grip just wouldn't break. He leaned in so close lips nearly touched. “You need to come down a few notches Amata. Maybe I’m the one to do it.”

Arianna dropped a knife edge of her hand down, hitting the nerve laden forearm and breaking the grip by virtue of sending his fingers into spasm. Balanced on the balls of her feet, her grip sent Amata behind her, back to the wall and facing the four Tunnel Snakes with no hint of fear. "Back off Butch, no more warnings." Peripherally, the slender girl kept track of the other males, waiting to see just who got stupid first and decided to push the envelope.

Amata broke her silence, tone hushed but firm. "She's right Butch, this isn't going to end well once my father gets involved."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Interest flared in that blue gaze, not for the coming fight but in the diminutive female at the center of it. Small, something that wasn't that odd in the vault but the girl was delicate in a way that defied description, something that her defiant stance seemed to bring into sharp relief with the group of taller males surrounding her. It took a moment or two of mental gymnastics to place the female, a sharp intake of breath as it dawned on him who she was. He’d been eighteen when Doc Talos’ daughter had her tenth birthday, the standout bloodying of the the same male nose that currently faced off against her had been vault gossip for months. She’d been a pretty little kid then but damned if puberty blessed the girl with stellar results, curves in all the right places and the sensuality to match in every line of lean muscle. 

And to the trained eye Chris fixed on her, the way limbs arranged in space, the appearance of serenity held more threat than it should. There was no sign of hesitation, of anything but a surety of her own stance. That held him more than Hunter's grin and hard fingers on his arm. Somehow, the outcome had already been decided and Butch was not going to come out on top, he’d lay a week of rations on it.

So he kept silent but close, just far enough out of peripheral vision to let the scene play out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oblivious to the two vault guards watching from down the west hallway, Arianna just tilted her head a fraction and ignored the implicit warning in Amata’s voice. Butch was too dense to get it and honestly this was way more fun than the stupid G.O.A.T. anyway. So, might as well poke the bear just a little more. “Really she’s right, you should just go while you can. You know we’ve done this before and you have to remember who kicked your ass then too.” 

When Butch bellowed, heading at her like a bull, it was all rote. Father had been right, muscle memory was more than effective. Arianna just rolled with it, grabbing a hand and twisting as her body spun like a dancer's. Momentum carried him into the wall, the metallic thud loud before knees gave out and he crumpled like paper then stilled.

No rest though because two others moved, emboldened by Butch's initiative and unable to stop once their leader fell so fast. In her mind, words flowed but not as fast as limb and muscle. _Carry tiger to mountain._ One stumbled down a hallway, barely able to keep his feet under him. _Fair lady works shuttles._ Arianna lifted an arm up with a graceful twist, slamming into the exposed ribs with a stiff forearm blow, hearing and feeling bones crunch as ribs cracked under concentrated force.

The other tunnel snakes backed off, looks varying from anger and frustration to shock, so small but the speed of a viper. As the circle widened, Arianna finally saw the two security men down the hallway and swore softly. Of course...no help from that front till someone busted her ass.

Hands slowly dropped as Arianna relaxed, fighting stance disappearing and a relaxed 'who me?' stare replaced it. Just flashing a smile before glancing over a shoulder at Amata. "You ready to take that damned test?" Linking arms with her bestie, Rianna stepped round the Tunnel Snakes still on the ground and strolled into the classroom, making sure to give security a nice view of her swaying backside as the pair disappeared into the doorway. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It happened so fast, like a movie on fast forward. From threats to sass to boys on the ground and others stumbling back in what had to be shock. Chris was just as disconcerted. Nothing in his experience could explain what both men had just witnessed as a young girl went from cheeky to virago to just a girl again, just a young girl with that butter wouldn't melt in her mouth look that had to be practiced as hell.

A glance shared between Hunter and himself solidified the impression that the other officer was just as stunned. But Hunter shrugged and started down the hallway forcing Chris to follow, speaking to the Tunnel Snakes that lingered a few steps from their fallen comrades. "You two, get your friends down to Doc Talos. I think they need attention."

Chris was not far behind, his interest more on the two girls walking away, this a more carnal study of Arianna as she and Amata strode into the classroom. Too young but seductive in a predatory way. Why had he not noticed before? Waiting till everyone moved out of earshot, he glanced once more after the girls before turning to his partner with a one sided grin. “What the hell just happened?” 

Shrugging, Hunter watched the girls and the males disappear before giving the other man’s arm a tug. “No clue. I’ve never seen anything like that before.” Looking back towards the classroom one more time, he led them back to their route with a growing smirk. “Makes you wonder what else the Doc is teaching his girl.” 

Dodging the half-hearted punch aimed at his shoulder, Chris took one more glance back before moving back to their primary reason for wandering. “I’m sure there’s a line forming to teach her a few things.”

Hunter hadn't missed the glance and shook his head as the pair walked back down the corridor, leaving the scene but the disbelief still colored the tone in the other man's voice. "Can you believe that? Hell she can't be more than a hundred and ten soaking wet and those bastards didn't stand a chance."

He shot a look at Chris' profile, the speculation rampant. "And you might wanna rethink what you have going on in there. That's the Doc's daughter. She and Amata are tight. Nothing you want to bring to our door."

Our door. That made Chris shake off the interest and snort. "Right, like if either of them wandered into your quarters you'd say no, I can't." Nudging his partner, they headed off onto a regular patrol of common areas. Boring as fuck but it was something to do. That svelte body moving though stayed with him in his mind's eye, a niggling temptation that just wouldn't quit. 

Hunter didn’t stop but shook his head. “Man, don’t go there. I don’t wanna end up on incinerator duty. That’s too young and too hot for both of us. “

The other man just snorted and chuckled. “Maybe for you.” Her image lingered, firm backside in clingy lounge gear much more appealing than the view in front of him as they focused back on work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nudges back and forth as the pair walked into the classroom, Arianna careful not to look behind until they were past the threshold. The big one, big and blond with sharp blue eyes, Chris had caught her eye once or twice. Hell it was hard not too, so fuckin' tall compared to the other vault residents, he was always just right there when on duty. Add the dark blue uniform and muscled frame...well a young girl could drool if inclined.

Honestly, eyes following her were like a physical touch and Raina thanked god the blush that rose was obscured by the angle. Inside, she turned to her friend with a laugh. "Sheesh....figures. Vault security is always late to the party."

Amata just glanced over a shoulder nervously then up at her friend. "Rainie...that was stupid. Butch wouldn't have done a thing. He knows dad would kick his ass. But you...you made him look like a bitch. This won't go well if he finds you alone."

Arianna just shrugged then giggled. "Amata...that was just a taste. I can do much worse. I'm not worried about him finding me alone unless we're talking about the trouble me kicking his ass is gonna cause with your dad."

Sitting down, Amata flashed Arianna a withering stare. "Just watch out. Seriously." With that she opened her book and put her head down, a sure signal the conversation was over on her part.

Shrugging, Raina walked to a chair two rows over and sat down. Time to get this over with. Already a smile was forming. To hell with results, she'd fix those later. Settling back, she played with her stylus and waited.....


	3. Debatable Choices

"No, dammit Arianna. Try harder. Remember, hand opens right before you strike the blow." The tone was that of a teacher to a student, just a bit of irritation in the inflection. It was a voice most in the vault knew, the doctor James and Arianna's proud papa. Well most of the time, this time her lack of attention was exasperating and keeping that out of his tone was getting difficult.

"Where is your head at today?" One of their few afternoons together and they were working through her next set of lessons, Chen style tai chi chuan and it was like herding a cat. James' frustration leaked out in the tone, comment proof that while she was apple of her daddy's eye, he was a hell of a hard task master. 

Arianna grunted and made a face at the chastisement. Usually she did better but her father hit the nail on the proverbial head, her mind wasn't in the practice and it showed. Trying to explain what was keeping her in a dreamy state would have made things worse.

It all went back to the afternoon in the cafeteria where the group had gone to study. Well some. Arianna had been 'removed' from the instructional program after the GOAT results came back in and her placement had been a joking princess while Butch got 'hairdresser'. Needless to say hacking the mainframe and changing test results had put her on the outs with the overseer and made her father furious for about an hour before pride in a child who'd taken after her mother peeked out. What the end result did was put her at her father's disposal as an aide and a research assistant since other classes being taught seemed a bit redundant. One admonition, no more tech hijinks and with a straight face, Arianna had agreed, a promise that lasted a whole week before she was back down in the reactor area, using the unit there to pick and wander through various files and databases hidden by rather pathetic Vault-Tec cyber security .

No what brought a young girls head around to something other than just having fun was that tall security guard from the testing debacle. A little detective work revealed a name for both and juicy tidbits like when they came up the ranks and just who dated who. Amata kept swearing the man had been watching her and finally, finally she'd caught a glance that made virginal blood run hot. A chance turn revealed blue eyes skimming head to toe before he could look away. But there was no girlish giggles or nudges in the hallway with whispers and stares as he walked past. Arianna just didn't know how to act like that. No it was more smoky, long stares from under long lashes and unconsciously sensual movements that drew attention to the ripening form under the plain vault clothing. The stare she'd gotten before heading up to the atrium for practice had been so heated it made focus impossible, Ari just wanting to pick it apart again and again in her own mind with a few embellishments here and there, clothing optional.

A sharp yelp of her name brought attention back to what should be in the forefront of her mind with a flush of embarassment. She muttered a 'yes daddy' and did the move again, this time doing a bit better as the same instinct that helped her win the fight made the next set of movements smoother and more controlled.

She hoped.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chris had come to terms with making rounds. It still bored the hell out of him but it was better than the alternative which consisted of sitting on his ass or working out in one of the exercise centers in the men's barracks. Drinking with Hunter and some of the younger security guards came up frequently too but his fascination with the doctor's leggy daughter began to make even those pursuits pale. He'd been struggling to pay less attention when the little vixen noticed the sidelong glances. Paying less attention went out the window when those dark eyes seemed to catch him and the swaying walk became more seductive that it had been before. Those curves just begged to be touched and the fantasies about his hands palming them took up way to many hours in the day. Not like he was celibate, a couple of the prettier ones were accommodating as hell even if the face he saw while buried inside them was pert and surrounded by a waterfall of dark hair. Made it seem like he was banging a pale, mediocre copy when the real thing lay just out of reach.

Even Hunter began noticing the preoccupation, that same warning as weeks ago, leave it alone. Chris just couldn't. It was like being able to see a buffet of delicacies from behind a chain link wall. You could smell it, mouth watered at the thought of taking a bite but you just couldn't reach it no matter how you looked for a door. He wanted to find that door with a shamed urgency he couldn't even confess to his closest friend.

Today, he'd made an effort, an honest try to ignore her but when she'd walked by in thin blue pants that clung to every curve of a shapely ass and a tank top that left no doubt as to her gender, Chris had stared. On the plus side, he hadn't licked his lips too. Annoyingly, Hunter noticed too and pointed out said ass as they walked past in a sotto voice. Too much temptation to resist, he'd given Arianna another look at the same instant that she turned to glance at something one of the group she'd been walking with said. Caught and all he could do was flash a masculine grin of appreciation.

Now they walked on the upper level as Hunter lectured again. "Jesus Chris. You're asking to get us busted down to the incinerator. Keep it in your pants man, the doc's daughter is off limits. I mean shit there's what....seven years or so between you? What have you got in common with a kid like that?"

Chris flashed Hunter a withering glance, grunt of irritation followed by a pithy retort. “What do you have in common with Alice? Nothing but bouncing on a mattress when she’s feeling amenable.”

A thump and the doc's voice floated up towards them. A sidelong glance, small frown as Chris moved to the center railing, that open area allowing for a full view of the lushness below. "She's younger but even you have to admit..." Blue eyes searched till he found what he'd been looking for, James and Arianna to the left, open area that had been padded for some purpose decades ago and the pair was apparently using it to train.

Leaning on the rail, that gaze devoured her as she followed her father's instructions, source of that skill the day of the GOAT becoming clear. "She's not like the rest." The last bit had been quieter, almost a whisper as he pointed below.

Hunter glanced down and a brow shot up. "You gotta point." But the comment fell on an empty catwalk, Chris already moving to a side stairwell. Better view from downstairs and as security, their interest wasn't going to be out of place.

So with Hunter three steps behind shaking his head, sputtering about their impending doom as two sets of boot treads on metal stairs echoed down the curved passageway. Chris entered the lower level and stood just inside the far left archway, blue eyes hopefully less predatory than he thought they were.

The Doc saw them first, stopping the lesson with an upraised hand and nodding to both men with a smile that was not welcoming but not exactly forbidding either. "Gentlemen, I do hope we weren't disturbing anything by using the atrium for practice."

The tone held a strong sense of authority that only an elder male could pull off without sounding pretentious. Crossing his arms, James used every bit of his over six foot to posture, studying both security officers but it was the taller blond that made the father in him hear alarm bells. It wasn't attitude that did it, it was something more intangible, perhaps a glance intercepted or a word said from another vault resident but the way the man was eying Arianna brought hackles to bear.

Well, if practice had been going half assed before, the two males entering the Atrium basically blasted it all to hell. Arianna stilled behind her father, doing her best not to look like she was peering around him to get a look at just which two of the overseer's security force were there. Deep down she knew just who stood there, it was the big blond and his shorter compatriot.

Unable to stand it after her father engaged the pair in conversation, she did take a tiny look and if a heart could skip a beat in any medical capacity, Arianna's did right then. So, trying to look as nonchalant as her daddy, she wandered forward with the same cool stare. Thank god neither of the other two could hear a suddenly racing heart. All they saw was dark eyes, hooded by long lashes and clothing clinging to a slightly sweaty young body as a flush began to stain her cheeks.

Willpower wasn't his strong suit. Not when it came to baser appetites but somehow, Chris managed to keep his eyes completely on James once the first glance slid to the lithe daughter for a millisecond or two. It was enough, that body, cotton sticking in all the right places and bringing that image of him peeling it off one forbidden inch at a time and his traitorous libido fired to life. A short inhale, small prayer to whatever god that the dark blue uniform wasn't form fitting or it would have given way too much away. Dark urges stirring with her father staring him down like a hungry deathclaw. Not something anyone on the team would face down but Chris somehow pulled the resources from within and managed to speak without letting the need show.

"Actually Doctor Talos, it the practice I came down about." A incline of the head towards Arianna's form. "We saw her the day the GOAT was given. She, well she managed to give Butch and his little cadre of bullies a run for their money." Chris glanced over a shoulder at Hunter an encouraging glance. "You think you could see your way to teaching us? I think it’s about time security tried expanding their repertoire”.

Hunter grunted in protest but didn't say much else, looking at his feet, a random frond or anything else that would keep wayward eyes off the ripe figure behind the Doc.

Mention of the GOAT brought the father's gaze around to the wayward girl behind him, an eyebrow arching up. "The GOAT. Yes, I think I remember a few things about that day." That stare brought with it a promise of more questions to come when the two men left. When the results came back, James had been furious with Arianna, her abilities never in question but the fact that she used them in such a blatant fashion had him talking fast for weeks to save both of them from being ousted.

Still, there had been an undercurrent of pride. Really how else could the daughter of two such minds turn out? She'd had skills at a young age and the lack of activity in the vault had led to Arianna seeking out different forms of entertainment that he'd encouraged at the time with no idea of the way that fertile young mind would blossom. Yes the vault was a waste but still, safety had been at the heart of the move there.

But there was speculation as James returned his attention to Chris and Hunter. "I could, but the overseer keeps me busy." The fact that both men wanted training.....A slow smile blossomed. "But Arianna here has been training for years. She could get you started and I'll look in now and then." Despite misgivings it would keep the slender teen out of trouble and allow him the freedom to try tweaking a few more variables with Jonas.

With her mouth hanging open, Arianna just stared at her father as if he'd grown another head. Teach them? Tai Chi? All alone? Snapping the jaw shut with a glare at James' back, she shifted interest to the two men. Chris, well he sounded plausibly interested but his buddy Hunter looked everywhere but at her and her daddy. This was something else, not what it seemed and if she'd been a cat, curiosity would have done her in long ago.

Unaware of how her nibbling on a full bottom lip brought that ripe mouth into play, Arianna crossed her arms and stepped forward, sway of hip and bosom unconscious as those akimbo forearms pushed the round globes up almost as if offering a better view. She did a slow stalk around the pair in blue, assessing gaze lingering when her back was to James at the hard lines of the taller male. She'd seen Chris in casual wear here and there but the thought of maybe a shirtless view had her tongue licking her lips in anticipation.

A nod and a smile with a wicked edge directed at Chris and Hunter though it lingered on Chris for a millisecond. Turning back to her father, her head dipped in a nod. "I'll do it, but we're gonna have to start with the contemporary form, maybe some yoga as well to get them a bit more flexible."

He could feel her stare like a physical touch and it took every ounce of willpower not to follow that lithe body with his eyes. Part of him wanted to see the expression on her face as she spoke, read emotions like a book so that perverse attraction would either die or....

Chris swallowed and made it look like a laugh, unable to resist the imperative to swivel the blond head around at catch Arianna on the final quarter circle. That smile. Blue eyes narrowed just a bit, thoughts running through a fertile, sexually charged mind were dark and lush, full of skin and flesh under his hands. A hand came up fast, rubbing his face like it was weariness that made him look away when a much more carnal reason that even now strained the fabric of his undergarments. God, just being in the same room and looking at that body had him about the same level as a boy her age.

He struggled with control, an imperative like think of fire ants or some such and get over it. If they were to spend so much time together with Hunter in attendance and her father probably peeking in to make sure the two men were keeping it professional Chris had to keep the lustful bent to a minimum. On a scale of one to ten, this little proposal ranked about a 9.5 on the probability of getting neck deep and going down for the count with a fist around his throat. No stopping it now though, her proximity making self preservation evaporate.

Thank god Hunter hadn't lost the ability to speak, piping up and saving his buddy though without knowing it. "Yoga, contemporary form? What exactly are you talking about?"

It was James who answered, proud thread in the tone as a hand descended on the seal dark head of his daughter. "Yes, Yoga and Tai Chi are entwined, one is stillness, the other intention." Drawing the small girl in for a quick kiss on the forehead, he nodded to the pair with a finality that few younger males could carry off.

"Arianna will teach you. It starts easy and gets intense quickly. Be prepared to open your minds." He knew he sounded foolish but it seemed right to release the tension and remove his daughter from this place. While he understood the possible reasons for both men to want to learn, he still had a father's intuition and something told him that Chris' intentions weren't on the pure side. Despite that, this might be a quick way to get on Almodovar’s slightly better side again. James needed to make sure they had a safe haven and Arianna’s antics were straining resolve in that arena. So he quelled the misgivings and tugged on the thick braid running down his daughter's back. "Arianna will be available a couple times a week. Come to me and we'll arrange times for practice. I can check in here and there." That threat of observation might keep it nice and asexual. 

Stepping forward, Chris extended a hand to the Doc, making sure to keep his gaze on the man's face. "We're looking forward to it."


	4. The Heat is On

And so it began. Twice a week in the atrium. The three of them in relaxed clothing, Arianna in the same brand of clingy pants and tank, accentuating firm ass and long legs for such a petite creature. The top left...well it left the imagination to do what it would with rounded mounds draped in the same blue, just a little larger than most but it suited her perfectly.

But as they worked out, she managed to keep it all business. Yoga first, nerve slides and postures making both men look lumbering and clumsy in the beginning but they eventually got the hang of it. Chris faster than Hunter at times but then again, he seemed to be paying more attention. She'd look at him from under lashes here and there at something lurked in the depths of his eyes, a hot emotion that Arianna knew had to be simmering inside her as well. Yoga was the time to correct postures so after asking sweetly to adjust him the first time around, the words bringing snorts of laughter from Hunter, her hands didn't hesitate to pull here or tap there.

And oh my god was he firm, all muscle and so damned hot that the base urge to slid fingers around to those pectorals or explore the V of his hip. It became a special kind of torture that left her wet and dreamy at the end of the session.

Tai Chi after the yoga and half the time her father came in to lecture them all. His moves, practiced and tight were something Arianna strove for and the men tried to keep up. James had a lethal speed, Arianna close to it. It was movement after movement, right handed first till they got the form down, then left. The last couple of weeks had been the start of sparring. All of them left the atrium sweaty but content that they'd managed to take one or the other down though Arianna often was last man standing. They’d formed an odd knot of friendship, a camaraderie that went past the sessions in the wide open room and more often than not Chris, Hunter and Arianna lingered after the workout over a post exercise snack in the upper level lounge or a game of pool. 

All three just clicked, age difference fading as her dry wit and odd sense of humor won even Hunter over and left Chris free to tease without the censure the other man tossed his way. It didn’t make the sessions in the atrium any easier on him but being around her, watching quicksilver emotions fly across her face and basking in the easy familiarity of casual touches and playful nudges made it worth it. It was another layer of torture, torment...call it what you would but those afternoons in the atrium were getting harder to recover from as much as he enjoyed them. He often joked with Hunter about how much hot water he saved after the fact, trying to come down from what slowly became a slow, erotic dance between him and Arianna.

Not that Chris had been anything but circumspect. James popping in without warning, Hunter right there most of the time, he'd really kept hands to himself though the same temptation that had him under it's spell seemed to be spreading. You couldn't miss the flex of muscle as Arianna worked through the poses, firm curves and soft lines drawing eyes and lascivious thoughts that made the later half of the practice painful in the worst way. Didn't help that she seemed to find ways to touch and pull, those slender fingers so firm on the skin, made the mind wonder just how they'd feel all over. 

Chris had slaked some of the lust with a few willing girls but that avenue was beginning to pale. Obsession with the younger female was making the older girls, the well versed in sexual escapade types, less than satisfying. He wanted the slender beauty so close right now under him, no other. So his last few encounters with the current girl of the month, Maryanne, had been called off on some flimsy excuse. She hadn't been pleased but Chris really could care less. The image floating through his consciousness was petite with long dark hair and a tight curvy body and the ache it gave him brought a hand up to rub at a sore spot in the shoulder, trying to tame wayward thoughts till he could get back to his quarters.

Didn't help that they were doctor free today, just Hunter, Chris and Arianna in the atrium with it's greenery stirring gently from the overhead vents. Hunter currently crawled over to a bench on the left, hands up in surrender. "Okay, I'm done. Kick his ass again." Jerking a thumb at Chris, Hunter gave his buddy a sly wink. "He likes it."

Arianna's body quivered as she stood facing the taller of the men, a mixture of fatigue and lust. Much like Chris, it had gotten harder and harder to pretend this meant nothing, that the gentle touches, bold caress of fingers on skin that had become de rigeur since they began training together. She'd gone to bed aching so many times, had his image invade her dreams nightly at times, vague images in the beginning becoming more and more vivid till it was a tangle of limbs and sweaty bodies.

So already in a feverish state due to the last hour of back and forth with both men, the thought of going one on one with the blonde guard brought a wave of another kind of heat. Eyes gleamed under the stray waves that had escaped her braid, clothing clung to lush curves almost invitingly. A hand lifted and waved him closesr, smile dancing on her mouth.

"You heard the man, bring it on big boy."

Some primal part of his brain was screaming, the self preservation section that lately had been completely cut off. It kept up a rapid tattoo of 'don't do this' but Chris was way past listening to anything above the waist. A decision rushed headlong his way, that once you stepped over the line you couldn't go back kinda decision and had a plasma pistol been leveled at his head, chances were he'd do just what he was doing now, striding towards the petite brunette with a hungry look in those deep blue eyes.

Squared off against him, Arianna tempted with sheer presence. Lean muscle under gold skin, curves no longer just hinted at under the loose clothing worn to workout, the urge to just reach out and take what lay so close nearly unmanned him. Nearly. Instead a hand shot out and it began.

The dance seemed innocent enough at first, kick, parry, punch, grasp sparrows tail taking Arianna around him into the hard strength of his torso. He let it linger too, a brush of soft against firmness and just the connection made him forget to breath for a moment. Her retaliation much of the same, blocking but the contact got longer and longer, grappling lacking the impetus to actually break free. A hand landed on her midriff, just above the line of her pants and under the edge of her shirt. Skin, slightly damp from the skirmishing felt like silk and Chris' body stilled as the contact made the urges slowly working through layers of control burst free. Hunter close behind them forgotten, the forbidden nature of the caress bringing a wave of desire so intense it drove the fingers a bit higher under the shirt as the other hand moved to meet it across the flat expanse of Arianna's belly.

What part of her had become the wanton slut currently fighting to break free of the constraints of metal and directive around her? Something had happened, the first glance perhaps, the sheer presence of the man who right now held her in a grip that seemed to telegraph confusing directions. Part begged to melt into that muscled body, heat and sweat making the perfume of her desire increase till the proof of arousal made the area between her thighs wet and slick and the other screamed at the tiny fragment of her brain still aware of the dangerous line they walked to run.

The end result was a stilling of the delicate body, head swiveling to stare up at Chris with a dawning need under the innocent sensuality. Maybe he wasn't THE one, but damn if a girl was gonna succumb, the moose of a man had every single requirement needed to make her collapse in a puddle of want. So that run while you still can just dissipated as the desire of sexual awakening exploded in a young, protean brain.

Breath held for a second, quivering of the soft curves as Arianna lost her defensive stance and leaned into the much older man, peering out from under dark waves of tangled hair with confusion and an almost pleading stare.

Her acquiescence nearly unmanned him. Right there, in the middle of the atrium a forbidden desire saw it's mate in the twin flame of warm brown eyes. Longing expanded with a greedy fervor as the gentle, testing grip tightened, fingers beginning to urge the slender waif so close to turn. Chris wanted to feel all of it, firm breasts so close his knuckles on the left hand brushed the underside of the warm weight in a move hidden by the loose cropped shirt Arianna wore, hips outlined in light cotton that hinted at the treasure below the belly button in a pathway he craved to explore with fingers and mouth.

One hand was sliding over a round buttock while the other at her waist started to pull Arianna near. To hell with it all, fighting this was getting harder and harder and the smell of her skin, spice of whatever perfume she used making logical, safe thought impossible. It was the grunt of outrage from Hunter that halted his progress, only breaking contact when someone else touched his skin.

"Hell no...oh hell no you are not doing that with me as a witness." The other guard didn't step between the male and female caught up in a mating dance, only shoved a hand between them and began to push Chris backwards, pulling at the elbow instead of getting close to that treacherous girl flesh and succumbing himself. "You two need to break the clench and retreat to opposite ends of the atrium." He'd been about to say more when voices filtered in from down the hallway, James and his assistant Jonah from the sound of it.

Looking Chris dead in the eyes, Hunter shook his head in resignation. "You're going to thank me later." No other warning before Arianna was given a gentle push back and his compatriot landed a solid blow to his solar plexus. Air left his lungs with a whoosh and Chris staggered back a step, disbelief on his face.

Arianna hadn't missed the voices but until Hunter intervened she'd been powerless to move, caught up in an imperative stronger than anything experienced thus far in her young life. Desire like a weight in her belly lay heavy and rich, making movements of limb and muscle druggingly slow. Her own hands hadn't been idle, sliding up the warm strength of his bicep, the other falling to the notch of the waist to begin tugging at the tucked in shirt, wanting the skin he so freely explored on her body to be open to her own stroking fingers.

Hunter's gentle nudge backwards brought her head around, confusion as the object of her need was taken away. Slowly self preservation filtered in but the little squeak as Hunter punched his bestie in the gut brought her hand up to her mouth in surprise, brown eyes wide.

A couple of steps back and she glanced up the hallway, knowing the bend about a hundred feet in was the only thing that had saved her and Chris from being seen. A deep breath composed as the delicate lines of her face fell into more circumspect lines, the only hint at what had just transpired was the latent heat in her eyes, a gaze that moved to Hunter's profile with a nod of gratitude.

"Nice punch."

He'd heard the voices from a distance but even with a world more experience then the tempting creature in his arms, Chris'd been hard pressed to stop from fulfilling what had become an erotic obsession for months. Her lips, so close, scent of her body like a perfume of lust that clouded reason, made the impending doom striding down the tunnel no more than a fly buzzing.

So Hunter's punch had confused and angered and Chris had taken a step before folding back onto his injury, rubbing and staring, letting that blue gaze pin Arianna for an instant, laden with need before it dropped to the floor and he bent down and willed the rod in his pants to disappear.

"No kidding" The words were low and tense.

James and Jonah rounded the curve and caught the scene after the drama. Chris bent over, Hunter in that predator stance and Arianna standing off to the left, watching with wide eyes and a strangely confused stare till Jonah commented loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Figured it would be Ari standing the pair of you on the floor. She just too much for you both?" Laughing at his own joke, the pair drew into the forced air breeze and James spoke as well. 

"I take it the lessons are going well." Nodding to the hunched security officer and his apparent attacker, the proud father pulled his daughter into a rough hug. "I knew you were ready Arianna. Just took a nudge." Turning his attention to the other two men, he jerked his chin back the way they came. “The Overseer needs both of you in his office. Another assignment I believe.”

Looping an arm around Arianna’s waist, James tugged her around and back down the same hallway with Jonas in tow.


	5. Scenes from the Vault

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one of many small vignettes, peeks into just how the relationship progresses and eventually leads up to the escape from Vault 101.

The meeting in the Overseer’s office was brief and to the point. The purifier needed another part and Stanley was incapable of jury rigging something else to fit in its place. Departure set for the next morning and with a nod to Almodovar the pair left, tense discussion between them impossible to overhear till they reached Hunter’s quarters. 

Tossing aside a pair of boxers draped over the arm of the sofa onto the coffee table with a grunt of disapproval, Chris sprawled on two out of three cushions, irritation in the lines of his face. “You’re a pig Hunter. You might spend a few moments picking up, impresses the ladies to no end. And I still think we need to tell Rain and Doc we’re gonna be too busy to train. I’m sure they have things to do.”

Hunter blew god knows what out of one of the cups over the sink and settled in the chair opposite his partner, filling both half way with scotch and making sure to push the less clean one at his friend before taking a long swallow out of his own. “Like you know any ladies.” A shake of his head at the second comment. “And no I don’t agree. Doc knows we’ll be gone and I’m sure his girl isn’t supposed to have a clue.”

Peering over the rim, Hunter’s blue eyes fixed on Chris, unblinking and unmerciful in the scan of his buddy’s face. “Dry spell you’re in the middle of accidental or you still got the hots for our underage instructor? That scene in the atrium is gonna spell the end for you if you don’t back off. You better hope it’s the overseer who gets hold of your ass cause the Doc’ll clean the floor with you.”

Tossing back the contents, Chris kept silent, running an impatient hand thru his hair and setting the empty mug back on the table with a jerk of his chin as indication of need of a refill. Hunter obliged while he formulated a reply. “Don’t start on that again. I’m doing what I can…..” Lifting the now full cup, he drank in silence before speaking again, unable to meet his best friend’s gaze as he worked up the courage for the next admission. “It’d be easier if she’d resist it.”

The mug rising to Hunter’s mouth stopped and lowered as his startled stare scoped out the other man’s expression. “Shit….just….shit.” Rubbing his face, Hunter poured another measure into both cups and shook his head. “We’re fucked.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By sunrise, the two vault guards had disappeared to be replaced by scruffy wastelanders, packs at the ready and waiting silent after sneaking to the vault entrance thru the Overseer’s stealth passage. Didn’t take long for boots to clang on steel grating as Almodovar and Officer Mack appeared from the same hidey hole, faces stern and devoid of anything save resolve. 

“You know the drill, a minute past seventy-two hours and we stop listening 24/7 and go to twelve hour intervals. Don’t come back without the sleeve couplings and the gear linkage.” Overseer Almodovar’s tone lacked anything but cool resolve as with a wave of the hand he signaled Stevie to open the door. 

Much like the detritus James had seen sixteen years ago, the pair moved with surety towards the dim light from above, carefully keeping to obscure areas to hide their passage till reaching the decrepit entrance. A push revealed watery sunlight and dusty air, making both yank up face shields to filter particulates stirring like intranquil spirits with each bootfall. 

Hunter scanned with the naked eye while Chris studied farther down range thru the scope of his rifle. “Don’t see jack. You wanna scav a bit before we head to Megaton?”

Chris lowered the weapon, stowing it with a practiced ease. “Probably should. Hate to head into town with nothing to bargain with.” 

“True, true. We got the dregs old Iron Ass passed on but I don’t think they’ll fetch enough to cover the parts.” Impatient fingers tugged a pair of goggles down, shading his baby blues from the brutal rays of the sun. “Besides, when was the last time you got to shoot anything?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

They actually ran ten hours over deadline but despite the skirmish with raiders near Springvale managed to make it back to Vault 101 the parts and minimal damage all things considered. But minimal damage meant a run to the clinic and neither male expected to see Arianna perched on a stool, line of instruments to her left and across from her father who was standing clip board in hand near the exam table. 

“Hop up Chris. The overseer told me things went as expected.” Waving his daughter over, James got to work, the father/daughter pair making short work of the surgery and when done the Doc peeled off gloves with an approving nod at his offspring. “Sweetheart, you never fail to impress me. I do think you’re as efficient as I am these days.” Turning to fill out the chart, he took his eyes off the pair and missed the hot stare between them.

Arianna’d hacked the system long ago, read the logs and knew both Hunter and Chris had ventured out a few times to get supplies and run recon for the Overseer but seeing her current fixation injured and bleeding brought out the nurse in her, faithfully trained at her father’s elbow out of necessity and a need to bond with the one person who anchored her world. Working bandages into a perfectly straight line of white gauze, her eyes met Chris’ and fingers fumbled the seal, leading to a long, tantalizing drag of nails along the inner lines of his bicep. 

“Let me help.” The words, softly spoken, made her heart jump as Chris’ palm closed over her own and took over the final tweaking of the attachments before dropping to his side. Though not before knuckles grazed the silky skin of her cheek and jaw. His prize, a winsome smile laden with repressed desire, proof a banked fire kept smouldering even when distance stood in the way. 

Grin beginning to appear, Chris slid from the table and motioned Arianna over. “I brought you something.”

Ari slid into a chair near the mass spec and waited while the male rummaged and came up with a credit card sized bit of tech, pushing it towards her with what she’d swear was a hopeful, half-smile. “Found this, thought you’d find something to do with it.” 

Turning it over in her fingers, she pondered then conclusions dawned, making the young girl yelp with excitement and press a kiss to a scruffy cheek. “You rock Chris…..” Standing, Arianna did a confused two step before heading out the door with a quick, backwards glance at the knot of males in the clinic. “I’m heading down to maintenance. Back in a bit.“ 

Hunter spoke first, confusion in the lines on his brow. “Maintenance?” 

James chuckled as he picked up the tray used to patch Chris up. “Yes. Stanley and Arianna have a bond, especially since she excels at mechanical and electrical system analysis and repair. She gives him a hand when needed, he gave her space in his area with her own workbench and access to all the tools and parts she needs.” 

Finished with the clean up, his gaze returned to the hatchway his daughter disappeared through, smile proud and affectionate. “Arianna seems to gravitate towards the older residents.” Pale blue eyes had a slate grey edge thanks to the coat and metal walls as they shifted back to the two security guards. “Like you two. Those her age cannot seem to communicate on her level.”

Hunter nodded and looked at Chris, Chris met the Doc’s stare with the same resolute expression. “I’m not sure we communicate on her level. Honestly I’m not sure anyone could. She’s capable of running mental laps around all of us.” He too laughed softly. “Rain is a force of nature that’s too smart for her own good.” 

Tapping his partner’s arm, Hunter moved to the same doorway. “Come on, you & I stink and it’s really getting ripe in here. See yah later doc.”

James watched them leave, slight furrow between his brows.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hunter must have known what he was going to do. His compatriot never appeared after cleaning up and despite the honed instinct for survival, Chris found feet leading him past the main occupation level, past the farms in the depths to Stanley Armstrong’s ‘division’, a series of rooms with dim lighting and sounds of the vault at work, pings, thumps and the thrum of the reactors at both ends. 

Arianna hunched over a bench, vault work jumper unzipped, arms tied around her waist and only a thin tank covering curves in repose. Sneaking wasn’t hard with the ambient noise and she didn’t look up as Chris leaned against the hatch, eyes devouring her from foot to head like a thirsty man finally given a drink. Oddly enough this trip outside the vault had failed to engage like the last few, thoughts preoccupied with that last encounter in the atrium and how much Rain would have loved seeing the outside world as it stood now. It wasn’t safe of course but telling her about it now gave him the excuse to seek her out. Helped that Stanley was nowhere to be found due to the late hour which meant they had privacy, something that should have sent off clarion calls to book it the other way before he succumbed and pushed her up against a wall with lascivious intent. Pushing off with a shoulder, temptation led him one step at a time towards his target.

That target on the other hand was oblivious, pick in each hand and a bottle of cleanser at her elbow. After cracking the case open, she’d been working on pulling off scale to get to the small motherboard inside the device. Her pipboy lay near the back of the bench, also open but the components were lit from within, indicating it was on. Already sure of what she was looking for, her attention remained focused until Chris got within a few steps of her perch. Only then did she look up, surprise and a twinge of excitement flushing her cheeks. “Figured you’d be passed out after being gone for nearly four days.”

Chris laughed and moved behind her, petite stature making it easy for the much taller security guard to peer over her shoulder, giving him the opportunity to lay hands on her shoulders in a gentle massaging motion. “I thought you might like to hear about how things went and how I came to have that but if you’d rather I went to bed….” 

Fingers and thumbs worked magic on tense muscles and with a sigh the young girl straightened and let her weight rest on Chris’ body, feeling a tingle start in places much lower than where they made physical contact. “No, no, keep this up and regale me with amazing tales.” One hand lifted and pulled thick, dark waves out of his way and offering him better access to warm skin. “You have adventures to tell me about right? Or was it just fast women and bottles of liquor in questionable circumstances?” 

Chuckling, those digits ceased movement and started to slide down, running along her spine and crossing in front to grasp the curve of Arianna’s waist. “No women. I seem to have a fascination with just one.” His head had lowered, so close to the arch of her neck she’d feel his breath along her skin. “But we did run into a few giant ants, raider bands.” An inhale overrode every iota of self preservation as that unique, spicy scent Arianna wore filled his nostrils and made the casual pants he wore suddenly a bit too small. The voice screaming to disengage and retreat got squelched under a hammer of carnal need so intense it weakened will and knee. His mouth descended, a kiss on warm flesh before teeth teased the taut cording of her throat. 

Just one, the admission rang in her ears before his lips chased every thought from her head and dropped her into an explosion of erotic sensation. Arianna moaned softly and tilted a bit to allow better access, one hand finding the scratch of Chris’ unshaven jaw in a caress that moved to the soft curls at his nape. “Sounds exciting. Like the scruff by the way, it’s sexy.” Her voice sounded strained to her own ears. 

His grip loosened and drifted upwards, cupping the plump mounds of her breasts as thumbs ghosted over the spike of her nipples, reaction to his presence bringing a rumble of approval from deep in the chest she reclined against. One word for the current entanglement, madness but for the life of him Chris couldn’t seem to call a halt to the entrancing cruise along such a willing companion. It made sanity unattainable and folly so close it hummed in time to the crash of his heart. So erect he pushed back the waistband of his pants, he was fast approaching the point of no return and instinct raged towards a single end, removal of offending garments and him buried deep within her.

Arianna had lost all interest in the mechanical workings of her gift, first real taste of passion firing up storms of sensation throughout her body. The ache between her legs almost painful as a torrent of wanton need slicked her core, the first touch of hands other than her own awakening an appetite that demanded to be fed, telegraphed to Chris by the soft purr of delight at his machinations. 

“Ari, you down here? Your dad sent me to check on you. It’s getting kinda late” From down the corridor, Stanley’s voice bounced off the walls and making Chris growl against the tender skin just under her ear. He broke his grip and stepped back, raking his hair back with a hand that trembled just slightly. 

Spinning on the stool, Arianna faced him with wide eyes, flushed and loose as she struggled to come down from the cascade of sensations so cruelly halted before they could be explored fully. 

“We need to stop this.” Low, his voice not much above a whisper held an edge of desperation. 

Shaking her head, sending loose hair tumbling down to cover nipples still at attention. “No.” Turning when the footfalls reached the open doorway behind Chris, a smile pasted in place, she greeted Stanley with a perky hello.


	6. Scenes from the Vault

The release of the cap, that little hiss of what Arianna called excitement and with a sibilant bubble half the contents of an original, in bottle Nuka-cola foamed into the coffee cup on the desk. Splashing a finger or two of scotch in addition, she took a swallow and sighed in delight. Setting her concoction down by the keyboard, fingers danced with unreal speed as yet another layer of Vault-Tec security fell. 

For close to an hour she sifted and tagged a couple dozen files of interest as well as reviewing current logs from nearly every department in the vault with special attention for mentions of her father, her or the boys. A ping from her pipboy and with a couple of keystrokes the camera from the hallway two over popped up in a corner window, revealing a pair of familiar silhouettes. The bottom file drawer banged shut with a punt from a boot clad toe and Arianna kicked her feet up on the desktop, leaning back,relaxed after settling an open box of Spring Valley crisps at her elbow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You’re sure she hides down here?” Hunter sounded aggrieved and a touch put out at being dragged into the bowels of the vault on what he called a fool's errand and Chris referred to as something other than drinking to do.

The taller male snorted in irritation. “Yes, as I’ve stated at least twice since we made it past the hydroponic level. I doubt she pulls her chicanery off in the living quarter levels.” 

Hunter eyed Chris with just a touch of disbelief. “You know damn well I’m here to keep things PG. You can’t be trusted and I have to say I’m a bit disappointed.” Humor started to creep into what had been a slightly admonishing tone. “A man your age needing a chaperone….”

No warning as his partner turned and leveled a gentle punch to his shoulder. “Has absolutely nothing to do with the fact Alice has moved on to a younger target. She’s turning into a cougar.”

Hunter punched him back, a little more emotion in his blow. “Least she’s keeping them over 18.”

Slowing down, Chris half turned with a scowl. “I told you, it’d be easier…….”

A hand came up to forestall the rest of the sentence. “Yeah, easier if she’d resist. You ever think maybe you’re the problem?”

Oddly enough, the comment brought the start of a grin to Chris’ face. “Too hot for her? You may be right.” Three empty rooms and the fourth yielded their target. “Told you.” He strode in with Hunter on his six, frowning and muttering quietly.

“Well, you two really need a bit of work in the stealth department.” Arianna didn’t change her posture, just gave a shake of her head and took another sip out of her cup to hide the beginning of a smile at seeing both of them.

Hunter, in typical fashion, honed in on the one item that seemed a bit out of place. “Damn, original Nuka, not the synth stuff from upstairs.” Narrowed eyes fixed on the female first, then the box of crisps next to her. “And those….you got contraband down here?”

Laughing, Chris ruffled Rain’s hair before snagging a chip, posting up on the corner of the desk before grunting and hopping off, looking around suspiciously. “The desk is cold….” Crouching so close that he could lay his head on her shapely thigh, he ran a hand down the side, stopping by the base and looking up at his obsession with a sly stare. “What have you done little girl?” 

“Hey!” Arianna was shifting as he started to yank the drawer open, her futile moves to block him slapped away playfully as Chris pulled the top of the inset metal box open, releasing a wave of cold air. 

Hunter gawked over her head with disbelief. “You put a refrigeration unit in a desk?”

Pulling a bottle of Cola and scotch up at the same time, Chris flashed labels at his partner with an outright snort of laughter. “And it’s stocked.” Handing the booze over to Hunter, he used the free hand to slide along her jawline, pushing hair behind her ear. “You have been misbehaving haven’t you.” A thumb rubbed her plump bottom lip.

Glaring, she nipped at the offending digit but when the expression on his face softened, gleam of hunger appearing in the depths of his eyes, Arianna followed with a flick of the tongue, smirk on her own visage widening to a giggle of amusement. Reaching over, Hunter broke contact with a stern warning. “Hey, PG-13 remember?”

Chris glared but let his hand fall to her leg, gently caressing and not rising till the burn in calves, thighs and glutes got unbearable. 

Cracking the scotch open and taking a long swallow from the bottle, he passed it to Chris and snagged the cup off the desk, sniffing suspiciously before trying the mixture. “Not bad but you know what they say about youngsters and drinking alone….” 

The tussle between the pair took a minute but Arianna got her mug back seconds before Chris passed the bottle back to Hunter and grabbed it for a taste test as well. “Interesting. And I do know what they say, leads to depravity and questionable behaviors.”

“First of all, I’m unfortunately not alone…” Half standing she claimed her cup with a pinch to her offender’s side. “And as far as depravity and questionable behaviors, I have a ways to go before I top out at your level.”

This time, Chris’ laugh had a darker edge, bringing Hunter’s blue eyes around in a hard stare. “And I’m sure he’s more than willing to assist you on the catch up.” The bottle went back the other way. “Now, let’s wander on back to safer subjects. We wanna know what the hell you’re doing down here?”

“Speak for yourself Hunter.. I’d like to know where she’s getting all this.” He popped a chip in his mouth and waved at the drawer. “We’ve been out of stock for years on those and the scotch, that’s something I’ve never seen before.”

Chocolate eyes went from her crush’s face to Hunter, a tiny smidgen of guilt in the grin on her face. “Just nosing around. You find out all kinda things if you got the skills.” The gaze bounced back to Chris. “And I’m an enterprising individual.”

While they talked, Hunter rummaged till he found two more mugs and poured healthy measures of the top label scotch in both before passing one to Chris. Corralling the only other chair, he gave his partner a roguish smirk, one that faded fast as Chris pulled Arianna up long enough to sit and settle her back on his lap, leaning them both back with his mug in one hand and the other around her trim waist. The wicked smile he returned had a nefarious edge. 

“You best keep that visible yah deviant or there’ll be hell to pay.” Hunter poked at her with his foot. “Spill. All the details too.”

Giving a little wiggle to get cozy, the slender girl leaned back and made a face. “Alright...alright. I’ve always had full run of this place and since the other kids my age weren’t too interested in exploring, I did an expedition or two into the storage facilities.” Shrugging she took a sip and laid her fingers over Chris’, relaxed and surprisingly at home. “Figured with how some things were going faster than others, I should put a few aside, you know, being a connoisseur and all that. Wasn’t anything to hop on and doctor the inventory so no-one ever noticed the Nuka’s or the chips missing.” Pointing to the scotch bottle, a snicker escaped. “Now that, that wasn’t on any inventory list so I suspect it belonged to the previous overseer, two boxes in a corner of the south reactor room. Finders keepers….”

Chris started laughing, Hunter peered at Arianna, expression both incredulous and impressed. “Exactly how much are we talking about? That got lost I mean.”

Her eyes dropped as she took a sip of her own cocktail, voice a touch muffled by the rim. “Well, fifteen cases of Nuka, eight of the crisps.” 

Both men erupted in hilarity while she just stared, affronted. “Hey, I had to give some to Stanley for helping with the refrigeration project so I’m down to eight and six now. Real story”

When he could talk again, Hunter gave her a bro punch to the arm. “I’m both impressed and appalled by your larcenous heart.” He drained his mug and poured another dram then passed the bottle to Chris. “And here I thought he was the bad influence when you apparently have descended into a life of crime way before we wandered past. Speaking of…” He waved an empty hand at the doorway. “How do you keep from getting caught? I know not many people venture down this far but there are enough residents wandering on a regular basis.” 

Raising her hand to her face, Arianna took a bit longer to answer this one and carefully avoided either man’s stare. “I kinda hacked into the security systems and have a warning set up with infrared beams at either stairway. I knew you were coming way before you had a clue where I was.”

A moment of silence as the cup halfway to Hunter’s mouth lowered and Chris pulled back, leaning to glance down at the sylphic creature reclining on his lap. “You hacked security? Rain what else have you been into?” Despite the delightful pressure of a rounded ass on his semi-erect shaft, the scope of her activities began to dawn on him. Since the GOAT, no one could deny Arianna’s abilities when it came to intelligence but the fact that major systems had already fallen to her probing made it startlingly clear that even her father probably had no clue just how inventive she was nor exactly what that brilliant mind had come up with to pass the time. 

Hunter just stared in disbelief and Chris waited, fingers tangled in the silky strands of hair at her nape and caressing the softness while anticipating some sort of response. Jerking back enough to stare at both males, she looked legitimately confused. “What? It’s not that hard or that big of a deal. Overseer logs, original vault specs and databases, anything that seemed interesting.”

Putting the cup down with a thump, Hunter stood and paced for a few seconds before rounding on the pair in the chair. “Arianna, you literally violated so many security protocols even I don’t know the punishment you’d be facing. If the overseer ever suspected what you’ve been up to…”

When he paused she took the moment to pipe up. “He thinks I’m a brat and too good for Amata, but she loves me and he has to tolerate it. I mean he hasn’t sic’d Butch and his little tribe of assholes…” 

Ari would have said more but Chris interrupted her this time, hands firm in her hair and keeping her head still so their eyes could lock. “Rain, what does Butch have to do with any of this?”

She slapped at whatever part of his wrist she could reach, indignation beginning to rise. “Overseer Almodovar uses them to intimidate residents who are a pain and don’t agree with his leadership goals. Why do you think Butch keeps after Amata? He’s got enough on her dad that I’m sure he thinks he’s untouchable.”

The two men shared a look as Chris released her, fingers caressing her neck and jaw in an absent minded apology. Hunter again spoke first. “Shit….shit I thought we were fucked when you couldn’t seem to keep it in your pants but now.” He filled up his mug again and took a healthy swallow. “Now we’re all in up to our necks.” 

Exhaling in exasperation, Arianna’s eyes flicked from one male to the other. “As if. Not like either one of you had anything to do with this stuff.” One corner of her mouth began to tilt upwards in a lopsided grin. “I don’t think you could keep up.” 

Misgivings choked out any amusement Chris might have felt, worry darkening blue eyes as he lifted and turned her so she had to look at him. “Rain, this isn’t funny. If the overseer ever gets wind of what you’ve done or what you’re capable of...Butch would probably be the least of your worries. You need to be more careful.”

Slapping Chris’ hands away, Arianna stood, fixing both men with a flat, irritated stare. “Until you two, no one has had a clue and I’ve been coming down here for years.” Tossing back what remained in her own mug, she rinsed it in a sink at the back of the room and engaged the biometric locks on the desk and terminal, leaving the workspace looking abandoned except for a few chip crumbs. 

Clipping the pip-boy back on, she stood by the doorway with a stiff back, fingers tapping here and there till she seemed satisfied. “Let’s go. We’ll be fine to make it up to public levels without showing up on camera.”


	7. Scenes from the Vault

The atrium had a surprisingly hushed quality despite the small knots of people starting to wander off as the night drew to a close. Not many of the vault residents congregated in the upper lounge after a certain time, more content in the down home vibe of the cafeteria after the simulated fall of night. On the positive, the taped version of a night under the stars had worn out a few decades ago, leaving nothing but the hum of the HVAC and murmur of whoever still sat down in the lower garden. On one side, Arianna, Hunter and Chris took turns at the red felted pool table while on the other Jonas and James stood in the near darkness, both with tumblers in hand. 

Jonas sipped and indicated the three laughing as Hunter shot the cue ball off under the jukebox. “I’m still puzzled. Your daughter spends half her time studying, training and half her time hanging out with the overseer’s top minions and you’re okay with it.”

Sighing, James watched the threesome with a look that had a wistful edge. “She’s out of place Jonas. Amata and her clique tend towards the shallow end, the rest are intellectually stunted in many ways. I don’t fully trust those two but in a way she’s safer with them.” Swirling the liquid and releasing the pungent hit of whiskey, he took a drink that burned all the way down. “Almodovar is on the warpath and she’s a target that I can’t fully protect. They might be able to do what I can’t.” 

“So it’s like she gained a couple of big brothers…” Jonas nodded in understanding but James shook his head in a negative. 

“No Jonas, I don’t trust their motives that much.” His gaze rested on the tallest of the two men with a father’s intuition. “But the lesser of two evils is something I can live with. It’s not like she can’t take care of herself.” Even to himself the words sounded hollow. 

Arianna had a unique perspective, one that he cultivated deliberately. He’d fostered a need to learn, a thirst for new and innovative ideas to explore and an openness to change. James wanted her to approach life with a limitless vision that ignored boundaries and preconceived judgements to forge her own path based on personal truth and self. He’d just never realized how quickly his daughter would mature or just how much of a cunning and resourceful creature Arianna’d become. Somewhere though he’d lost control and now could only watch and hope his teachings stuck.

You couldn’t miss it though, the undercurrent between the big blond Chris and his petite offspring. Arianna leaned in to hear a comment, then with a laugh pushed off on the other man’s chest that reminded him of the halcyon days of his courtship with Catherine. His daughter’s mannerisms, her honed wit had become an almost daily reminder of his dead wife and a dream left to moulder on the vine. As much as he wanted to shove the vault guard through a glass window, James understood the more he pressured her to leave them alone, the more the contrary child would run the other way.

Draining his glass, James took one last look and turned to nudge Jonas. “Come on, lets run that last set of tests on the flow issue again. I'm sure we’re close to a breakthrough.” And truthfully, watching Arianna left him with a worried knot in his stomach and him running across the walkway to pull her out of the lounge was out of the question. The time they were both on was borrowed and he needed as many ace in the holes as he could get.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inside the lounge, the lack of occupants save the three under observation from across the upper level made the byplay just a touch more raucous. Hunter waved his free hand, beer sloshing just a touch but not enough to really signal just how drunk he was. “No, no I’m sure she’s cheating. It’s a trick ball or something.”

The chorus of ‘I’m not cheating’ and ‘It’s not a trick ball for gods sake’ brought another round of merriment as Arianna moved to rack another game. Chris got distracted by that firm ass as she bent over but came back with a quick slam at his friend. “Maybe you just suck at the game.”

Arianna snickered and put the cue ball up for the break. “Maybe you both should have paid more attention in Mr. Brotch’s classes. This game is all physics and geometry.”

Both men stopped ribbing each other and stared. “You just had to go and ruin it didn’t you with all that brainy stuff.” Hunter did a little side step, righted himself and leaned against the bar, waving his partner forward just a touch unsteadily. “You go. She’s gonna kick our ass again anyway.”

Chris just stood there, cue in one hand, beer in the other and gave Arianna the once over. “Well if you were teaching maybe I would have paid better attention.” Taking a swig out of the bottle he too waved her on. “Break but explain it all.”

Eyeing both men for a moment, she moved up and leaned over the table, cue gripped gently in her hands. The crack as the balls scattered and three hit various pockets echoed and Hunter pointed at her, almost accusingly. “Told you.” An hour passed, Ari explaining the dots along the felt on the edges, angles and english on the ball. Hunter was too far gone to get most but Chris seemed determined to keep up and it wasn’t long before his experiments with all three began to pay off. Now it was down to the two of them, Arianna and Chris with one ball on the table. 

He eyed the ball then the shapely female on the other side of the table, a wicked smirk slowly curling the corners of his mouth. “So, what does the winner get?”

An eyebrow shot up but she managed to contain an answering grin as her mind descended into the smutty depths of fantasy without much warning. “Well, I suppose what they want to claim.”

Walking around the table and stopping within a foot of her, arms akimbo, their differences in size had never been more obvious. Diminutive but rounded in all the right places, Arianna’s head didn’t make his shoulder, his muscular bulk all but obscuring her from anyone behind him had they been peering in. “Anything, anywhere….deal?”

Somehow, the playful match game had ended here, light hearted teasing evaporating in a loaded question that Arianna wasn’t sure she had the right answer too. Yes or no wasn’t hard but just what was she agreeing to? For once, her lack of experience put her at a disadvantage and her smile faded a few degrees while her mind whirred with possible outcomes. Those meltingly warm eyes searched the planes of his face, looking for a clue to what he meant but for once Chris’ poker face denied her anything but that one imperative. Choose. It was more than a bet they were talking about, more than a simple wager. Come what may, for this man, this beautiful blonde, blue eyed charmer, she’d risk it all. “Okay, you’re on.” Taking a step into that substantial wall of muscle and heat, her head tilted back till she stared unflinchingly up at him. “Your shot Casanova.”

Chucking her under the chin, Chris walked around her and lined up his shot, taking time and walking the table to get eye lines in a few different directions before settling down for one. “Corner pocket.” Indicating the choice, he drew back and sank it. 

A peal of laughter erupted, disbelief warring with a touch of illicit anticipation. “You played me didn’t you.” There was nothing but affection in the tone. 

God she never failed to amaze him. From the nerdy recitation of Newton’s laws to the fearless stance at her loss of the bet, nothing in her demeanor hinted at any misgivings of what she might face with him in control. That trust unsettled and thrilled him at the same time. It made him wonder if what he planned, all the schemes and scenarios imagined during cold showers and late nights lying awake, so hard it hurt, would be enough to keep her. That’s what it boiled down to, the no going back on his part and a fear of her bolting, never looking back. 

He opened his mouth to respond but it died in his throat as a figure at the door stepped out of the darkened atrium balcony. “Hey Doc.” Chris seemed calm, face schooled into friendly, unassuming lines.

Jumping with a half turn, Arianna turned, heart pounding and a flush starting to creep up her cheekbones. “Daddy! You’re up late.” She walked over and put her cue back into the wall rack. “Well up late and NOT in the lab.”

“Well,I was heading to bed and looked in. I thought you could use the help.” A nod in Hunter’s direction revealed their companion, sprawled on a booth seat, head back with an open mouthed snore here and there. 

Dropping his head, Chris stowed his cue as well and moved to Hunter’s left and indicated the doc take the right. “If you don’t mind then.” The pair lifted the inebriated guard up and on shoulders, Arianna explaining his circumstances while they guided him back to his quarters. “He and Alice broke up. Guess he’s having a bit of an issue with it.” 

It also stopped the collection of the bet, dammit. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

“How’s the head?”

Hunter ignored the question. 

“Seriously, you’re still pissed?” Chris stopped in the middle of the hallway, laughing as he took one last look at their log on his pip-boy. “You shouldn’t have had the last eight beers.”

Halting as well, the other man turned with an impassive stare. “You’re my wing man. You’re supposed to stop me.”

“You don’t stop me.” He held up a hand and finished the audio report. Nothing new, nothing interesting except having to escort Ms. DeLoria back to her quarters since she was so drunk she’d spend 10 minutes trying to get into a locked supply closet thinking it was her door. 

A look of bafflement was the response he got to the comment. “I’ve tried. You have a death wish and some fixation on an underage prodigy with killer combat training and a secret stash of goodies.” Since they had no privacy, the words were hissed out just below a whisper level. “Next time I’m just going to shoot you.”

Chris just rolled his eyes. “Officer Sebastian, end of duty log complete.” Pushing a button to end the radio call, he flashed perfect white teeth in a smile. “That I’m fine with. You’re supposed to make sure I don’t get caught.”

A glance up the hallway widened the grin. “Speaking of, I gotta go. Gotta bet to collect on.” Breaking into a trot, he half turned and waved at Hunter. “See you at dinner. This won’t take too long.”

“With your blue balls I’m sure it won’t.” Muttering under his breath, Hunter backtracked towards Security to ditch his weapons before heading back to his quarters to shower and change. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Earbuds in, Arianna fiddled with the media files on her pipboy till the right song popped on. _They never saw us coming 'Til they hit the floor_ Oblivious to anything, she’d missed the two guards and the exchange between them as well as not seeing Chris peel off and head her direction, still singing along softly. “All dressed up for a hit and run…” Taking a left with all intention of heading to the clinic, there was no warning as hands scooped her up, carrying her a few feet and shoving her into one of Stanley’s closets.

Outraged, she got stopped mid-turn and spun, hands rising for a smack down falling to her sides in astonishment as Chris inspected her face for a moment, judging her reaction before the hands at her waist fell down over her pert bottom. He gave those plump globes a squeeze before lifting and parting her legs, settling between them as her back hit the wall with a thump. 

Cinnamon shaded eyes narrowed as she hissed at him quietly. “What the hell?” Hip to hip, breasts crushed against his chest and arms looping up around his neck for balance, there was no hiding the ridge nestled against the juncture of her thighs and anger melted into lust before she could draw the next breath to chastise him further. Hot, getting wetter by the second Arianna just stared up at him, that same intoxicating mixture of innocent confusion and wanton carnality in her shocked gaze. 

Chris couldn’t hide the salacious edge to his smirk, lowering his head to let his mouth play along the tender flesh just under her ear. “I have a wager to collect on.” The growl vibrated along the cord in her throat, the answering ache in her midsection soaking the hottest part of her where it rested against the rigid length of his erection. 

As soon as they made contact he knew he’d made a mistake. Why in hell he thought this was a good idea just escaped him as her scent, the willingness in lax muscles and the growing heat in skin and sex made his hands tremble. Fingers played along the inner reaches of her perfectly shaped rear, teasing the edges of her crevice through the thin material of her leggings while his mouth pillaged her skin. Finally lips came to hover above hers, blue eyes boring into brown. “A kiss...just a kiss.” 

She couldn’t help it, the laugh that bubbled up carried a smoky, sensual edge. “”And the rest of this?” Arms tightened just enough to lift her mouth closer, changing the angle of contact and hitting the sweet spot in her crease, eliciting a delighted whimper. 

“Rain….” The first brush of lips was quick, a fleeting brush, taste of forbidden sweetness that left his knees weak with hunger. “Jesus….” So responsive, like a finely tuned erotic instrument in his hands. With her clinging so close, he could slide his hands up waist and breast to cup Arianna’s face in his hands. Nudging till it became an imperative, Chris finally captured that ripe mouth. He tried to take it easy but she tasted like caramel sweetness and with a muffled groan deepened the contact. 

Trapped in a feverish heat, Arianna held nothing back. At the first probe of his tongue, hers rose to meet his with an eagerness that astonished them both. The exploration opened up another level of intimacy that staggered him and left her shaking when they finally came up for air. Disoriented and in the grip of extreme need, Chris looked down into her flushed face, kiss swollen lips parted in stunned amazement and wanted to rend clothing till nothing stood between them,all in a janitor’s closet on the common level. 

That image pulled the seductive pulse of passion back a bit, allowing him to release the grip on her and regain control enough to lower her feet back to the floor. His arms though kept her close still, feel of curves against muscle too delightful to let go of just yet. Instinct told him he’d be her first and Chris would be damned if he’d ravage her in a damned hole, not when her wanton response just begged for an hours long romp in his bed. 

“What am I gonna do with you Rain?” The rumble of laughter shook them both, not an amused sound but one of a man resigned to his fate and just realizing even if he had it in him to call a halt there was no desire to stop this headlong rush. 

Leaning back, her answer got delivered with a wan smile, still reeling. “You need suggestions?” 

Fingers entangled in the ebon waves down her back, his expression going from fierce passion to a resigned affection. “No, I need to slow down. I keep forgetting…" 

Before he could finish the sentence, Arianna put a hand over Chris’ mouth. “Don’t say it.” She could tell from the emotion in the depth of his eyes just what final words he’d nearly blurted out. “It doesn’t matter.” Still hung up on age, on her father, on their place in this cold, sterile environment and how this could possibly blow up in their faces. He still fought the idea that Arianna just didn’t care. She wanted one thing with every fiber of her being and damned if like everything else she set her mind to she’d get her way. 

Exasperated, he still dipped down for a final brush of her mouth on his before using his security access to make sure they got out clean. She headed to her original destination, panties damp and knees weak with a single glance back. Chris watched her go, ravenous need still in the depths of his gaze then went the opposite way, back towards his quarters and a very cold shower. 


	8. Scenes from the Atrium

Chris was early, Hunter still back in his quarters changing. Inside the atrium all was quiet save the hum of the air scrubbers, air feeling cool and slightly damp due to the humidity controls that kept the pockets of vegetation green and lush. Eager eyes searched till he found her on the mats in what had become their corner and his stomach dropped while a bit lower other things began to stir. No tank and exercise gear today, today a sports bra and clingy pants left not a whit to the imagination. Every sinuous inch of Arianna’s body was revealed by the stretchy fabric. 

Barefoot, she pushed up into a forearm stand and straightened slowly, no hurry in the serpentine flex of muscle and limb. A concave belly, swell of womanly hips shifting as her back arched, effortlessly her feet moved till they nearly touched the thick braid snaking over a bare shoulder.. Inside his head, the voice of reason whimpered in defeat and wondered how long he’d last before either tagging out and saving what little remained of his sanity or succumbing to the temptation of such fine flesh.

That preoccupation is why Hunter managed to come up from behind and throw a man punch at his buddy’s shoulder. “What, she not here?” Stepping around his compatriot, what held his partner transfixed was revealed and the other male whistled in appreciation. “Damn Ree, you gonna teach us that next?”

Arianna didn’t respond, just uncoiled and came to her feet with a silent grace. Truth be told, she’d felt that hot stare well before Hunter opened his mouth and made sure to take it nice and slow, drawing on every bit of wiry strength to keep the flow provocative as hell. Cinnamon eyes sought out Chris first, the heat in their depths matching the ravenous intensity in that blue gaze. Had Hunter not been there, who knows where it would have gone but the third wheel precluded anything but proper behavior and hands above the waistline. 

But flirting wasn’t off the table and she gave both men a sly smile, arms behind her back, feet perfectly aligned to show off the Nuka-Cola bottle perfection of her curves. “You think you’re ready?” 

Chris nudged Hunter forward, beginning to wish he’d worn some sort of compression shorts since the lavish display continued to wreak havoc with already disintegrating control. “He’s usually way ahead of himself so let him try.” 

Laughing, the petite female moved around them both and gave the tall blonde a little shove with her hand, letting the touch linger till the warmth of his body could be felt through the shirt. “Oh no big boy, you get to play too. Besides it’ll be easier for you both since you have way more upper body development than I do.” 

Waving both men towards the side of the mats with a wall close, Arianna knelt in a modified child’s pose, knees together and feet crossed demurely while both got into position. Hunter managed a headstand fairly quickly but Chris attempted the forearm stand and over compensated, swaying back and starting to tumble. Shirt pooled up around his upper chest and partially obscuring his face, she knew he didn’t see her come in for the save as fingers splayed on ripped abdominals and back, the heat burning the flesh of her palms as the firm pressure to keep him upright made her stomach contract in reaction. 

Her thighs clenched as the core of her dampened, lust riding up from belly to breast till nipples tightened under her top and becoming visible to the naked eye. Unable to stop the sudden wave of excitement, Arianna let that hand on Chris’ stomach move, a caressing slide that took her dangerously close to the waistband of his pants. So much like that sparring ‘accident’ last week, the surroundings faded and focus honed on the male so close she could smell sweat and another more elusive perfume, intoxicating and a reminder of the workbench tussel a few nights back.

As soon as Arianna settled in, Chris knew it wasn’t going to go his way. So close her perfume tickled his nose and made an already erect shaft jump, he attempted the distraction of going full out in practice and overbalanced. The prospect of falling didn’t distress him, hell pain might distract him from temptation within arms reach. He hadn’t counted on the attempt at saving his ass and when her soft hands hit bare skin, the internal groan of longing echoed in his head, drowning out anything else. 

Situation wise, Chris was blind and trying to avoid falling while his eager mind already had images of those fingers dipping further under clothing in a deliberate enticement. When she actually started to caress till the tips of her fingers teased the V of his hip, stomach muscles rippled in reflex and he muttered ‘dammit’ under his breath. Bringing legs down, he rolled into a sitting position similar to her own and blue eyes locked with that warm brown stare.

Dawning realisation in both gazes as the pair realized the point of no return had been weeks ago and this would end one way and one way only. The time frame was the only variable and at the rate the heat kept flaring up it wouldn’t be long before someone succumbed to temptation. Chris reached out this time, hand falling on her knee and skimming upward, thumb a steady pressure on the inside of her thigh as it crept upwards. 

Hunter chose that moment to needle his compatriot, though the voice was strained. “Ha, knew I was gonna kick your ass at this.” 

That voice shattered the charged moment and she looked over at the other man, trying to tame heart and mind as her own traitorous body couldn’t stop vibrating with the closeness of her crush. A river between her legs dampened the crotch of her panties and it took a few seconds to find her voice, trying to find the playful tone while her hand covered Chris’, not in an attempt to stop but to telegraph her willingness with a gentle tug upwards.

Taking a breath, Arianna attempted to lighten things up, to dispel the charged resonance between her and Chris before anyone caught them. “Hunter you’re super hairy, like way more than Chris. That mean you have back hair too?” 

Chris exhaled the breath he’d been holding, reluctant to let loose the meltingly erotic moment and feel of her firm flesh under his hand. He understood though her struggle and let the glimmer of a smile appear. “You should ask his girl of the month, Maryanne would probably know all that.” 

Still oblivious, Hunter protested and started fighting the t-shirt round his head, sending him sideways and right at Arianna’s head. “Hey….” 

Chris’ lightning reflexes snagged the petite female and jerked her out of the way before the other male could kick her in the temple, pulling her half across his lap. The hand between her thighs shifted just a bit, scrape of his fingers on mound at their juncture producing a wave of carnal need that made him close his eyes and pray for release while she wanted nothing more than to grind into those probing digits. 

But they weren’t alone and things were spiraling out of control so Arianna kept rolling till she ended up on her knees a full foot from Chris, flushed and with a catch in her breath. As Hunter sat up she returned to her original position, once again demure but the smile had lost the edge, now tremulous and a bit confused as she broke Chris’ stare and forced a bit of a laugh. “Well, Maryanne has been girl of the month for half the eligible boys in the vault so I’m sure she knows a lot…I mean you should know that ” The winsome grin shot at Chris spoke volumes as to who knew what vault gossip wise.

“ARIANNA…” The terse bark from general vicinity of the left bank of plants had all three swiveling around to find James behind them at the entrance to the Atrium, dressed for instruction and a thunderous expression on his face. 

Startled, she looked at her father with a deer in the headlights stare, not sure how much he’d seen and the terrifying churn of panic made her drop her head.

“You know that kind of talk is inappropriate. I’ve told you before to keep your own council.” A nod to the men and his hand waved for them to rise. “I take it inversions aren’t going well. Since her center of gravity is different let me demonstrate.”

Hunter glanced first at Ari, then at Chris with a touch of suspicion but got to his feet. Chris had to wait a moment, rabid erection taking a bit to fade and made regaining his footing look a little off balance. Thank god they’d gone in shirt untucked or the Doc would have seen every inch of what his daughter did to the security officer. 

For once there was no witty retort, just Arianna moving off to the edge of the mat and sitting quietly, trying to sooth raging emotions and keep her dark fantasies from being seen by her father’s sharp eyes while Chris struggled with the same.


	9. Birthday Shenanigans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amata's party sets the tone for an interlude that they can't come back from
> 
> songs  
> Bad Guy, 3OH3  
> Out of the Fire, Digital Daggers

Finally, Amata’s 17th and somehow Arianna had finagled the party planning away from Jennifer Owens, the other bestie and if she was honest, someone better suited for friend duty then she had been lately. It wasn’t that Ari and Amata had issues but at times Amata acted her age and Arianna rarely found accurate ways to communicate on the same level. While Jen and Amata put heads together to giggle over boys and first kisses, Arianna currently had seducing a man on her to do list because she’d gone past just dipping her toe into the lake of sexual escapades, she’d jumped in head first. The pair just ended up on divergent paths and while it stung a bit, Ari understood why with a maturity that spoke to her father’s teachings. 

So the upper atrium lounge had been decorated, some more adult refreshments laid out since Arianna knew where the stockpiles of goodies were tucked in the depths of storage. Making a last minute check of the layout, she turned to find Butch, Paul and Freddy lingering in the center of the room between her and the door. A perfectly sculpted brow shot up as a wry smile began to take shape. “Wow. Not surprised you morons wandered in.” When one wandered too close to the food set-up she stepped up to block.

“Of course, you did this for the Overseer’s brat? How’d you find this kinda prize loot?” Butch reached around her for a shot at one of the appetizer trays and without a hint of warning, Ari’s hand shot out and knocked his wrist back with just enough force to make his fingers tingle. 

Eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and rancour, she leaned in a bit so he wouldn’t miss a word, sharp eyes catching Officer Wolfe lingering just outside the doorway to the lounge. Back-up just in case it got ugly for a change. “It’s for the party. And yes, you and this annoying little cadre of underachieving assholes don’t need to drop by.” 

Butch took a step but Paul’s hand snagged his friends elbow, apparently Arianna wasn’t the only one who caught the Security Officer right outside the door. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the blue uniform with two coming up from the lower level and backed off with a snarl. “Better watch it Rainy.” He dragged Amata’s nickname for her out in a sneering growl. “You aren’t always gonna have the boys in blue to save your ass.”

“Last time you had these odds Butch she didn’t need us if I remember correctly.” Hunter moved in next to Wolfe, leaving Chris behind and to the right. No way to miss the look of ferocity on his partner’s face when the scene presented itself on the way up the stairs and Hunter figured safest route was to keep as much distance as possible between the would be attackers and his friend. He didn’t like the threat against the Doc’s daughter either but pounding the hell out of the self named ‘Tunnel Snakes’ wouldn’t help their already strained relationship with Chief Hanlon considering it was his son on Butch’s left.

Sending Hunter a scathing sneer, Butch shook off Paul’s grip and motioned for the boys to leave. “Don’t worry officer. I don’t make the same mistake twice.” 

The three Security Officers watched the younger males leave before Wolfe nodded and followed at a decent enough interval to make sure they didn’t double back. Chris waited till the other officer was out of range before stepping past Hunter and slipping a hand under Arianna’s chin, forcing her brown eyes to meet blue. “Rain, I don’t like this at all. You make sure ……” 

A husky laugh, followed by Arianna pulling his hand down to step up and brush his lips with her own to stop his directive. “I’ll be fine. I gotta get ready.” Her tangle of fingers in his lingered till she was out of reach. “Stop by if you want.”

Hunter sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Doubt it, probably gonna be in the brig because neither of you can keep shit undercover.” The sotto voice didn’t carry any farther than his partner.

Chris kept his eyes on her till she disappeared down the stairs to the lower level before rounding on Hunter. “You worry too much.” A half smile faded as he mulled over the scene. “You don’t think he was serious…”

“Butch? I’d lay odds on it.” He followed Chris’ stare with a frown of his own. “She’s not shy about pushing people’s buttons and those assholes just seem to beg for it. He’s probably looking for a way to level the playing field.”

The pair started to move back the way they’d came, Chris’ forehead furrowed. “And if what she said downstairs is true, no-one’s gonna stop him.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Usually a haven of quiet and serenity, tonight the atrium had a totally different vibe. Lights from the lounge lit up the ceiling and first floor with flashes of blue and gold while the bass from the musical selection currently playing subtly vibrated everything within a hundred feet in all directions.

Now there once was a man  
Who was tall and handsome  
The best shot in the land  
Not to mention good at dancing  
A hit with the ladies  
A heartthrob with the daughters 

Youth dominated the center of the room, an impromptu dance floor full of budding, adolescent bodies on the edge of adulthood writhing with the beat, the older adults around the edges with glasses or plates in hand. Most seemed relaxed, enjoying the level of refreshments Arianna had cribbed together and making small talk. The Overseer, Chief Hanlon and James stood in a knot, glasses in hand and watching with varying levels of approval, confusion and a touch of antipathy.

“The music?” Alphonso looked to James who chuckled. 

He was careful not to mention the source when he explained it. “A relic Arianna got as a gift.”

The Overseer nodded. “Not to my taste but they seem to be enjoying it.” He found his daughter in the throng of kids and the expression on his face lightened, love for his child evident in the usually stern lines. “Thank her for me. I couldn’t have planned a better birthday for her.” A hand waved to encompass the room. “This will be a benchmark for the next one.”

James smiled into his scotch and watched his own offspring, pride in the response. “I will.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On the other side of the atrium, Chris lounged at one of the tables, nearly invisible in the darkness thanks to his uniform and introspective, much like James had been the night the three played pool. A glass of his own sat at his elbow, bottle close as he followed Arianna’s gyrating form on the dance floor. Seductive, nubile, clad much like the birthday girl in a much more form revealing outfit of black skirt slit to mid thigh on both sides and a tank of some shiny material. She and Amata stood out, both in style and energetic movements as a trio of boys fought for their attention. While Amata flirted back Arianna seemed oblivious, too caught up in the music and her own little world to really care. It made her an even more elusive prize and one, a tall one he thought was named Thomas or something, grind a bit more determined behind her, earning a scathing glance and a push off with her hand on his shirt front. 

A one sided smile twisted his mouth but the gleam of his eyes held just a hint of melancholy. Never had the difference seemed so profound. When they were together, when things went too far it was easy to forget the age difference, her youth to his jaded adult, the quick mind made up for it to some extent but the brutal truth lay there in the ease of her flow among the teens. What the hell were they doing? How long would it last and would giving her up after whatever end game she had in mind played out be possible?

Hunter came up from the left, dropping into the other chair and pulling the glass towards him to take a pull. “What, you don’t wanna go join in?”

Blue eyes never wavered from the party tableau but Chris managed to snag his bourbon back, shaking his head. “Not really. Besides me tossing Thomas there over the railing would put a bit of damper on things.”

“Trent.” Hunter just wrapped his fingers around the bottle this time and took another drink out of it. “The guy grinding on your girl is Trent. She doesn’t seem interested.” Almost as if he could read minds, he looked over a Chris with a frown. “Tell me something. You and I have been friends since that age…” Hunter waved at the packed room across the way. “And I’ve had your back but where is it going between you and Raina? I can’t begin to guess her motivations but I can’t miss yours. Right now you got it bad and she’s just upping the stakes every time you’re in the same room together.” Sighing he took another drink. “How far are you gonna let it go?”

Chris swirled the amber liquid, the pungent aroma thick before tossing the remainder back and indicating his buddy come up with a refill. “I don’t know. She’s um…..” The sound he made sounded like a cross between a laugh and a groan of dismay. “Persistent. And responsive with a carnal innocence that’s intoxicating. It’s like I’m addicted and it’s only getting worse. Maybe once I succumb and get it out of my system…”

Laughing quietly in the cavernous room so it didn’t echo, Hunter poured two fingers in Chris’ glass. “Like you’re going to get a taste of that and get bored after a few tussles? I doubt it.” He took another drink, this time a much longer swallow. “Who knows, maybe she’ll feel the same and you two can white picket fence it. It’s not unheard of, pairing off at that age.”

Chris found her again, talking to her father as the rest of the party moved around them like an organic flow. He’d have scoffed a month ago at the idea but the thought of her permanently in his bed and at his side seemed much more tantalizing. “Maybe.”

Standing, Hunter grabbed the bottle and yanked on Chris’ collar. “Alright, enough of this deep shit, lets go. Poker at my quarters.”

Chris followed his companion with one last look back, just a touch of longing in his eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The party had come off fabulously, kudos from all but to Arianna it felt flat, like a worn image of something that should have been more brilliantly shaded. Amata gushed the entire way back to their respective quarters but while her friend swore bed couldn’t be more welcome, she felt an odd restlessness. Chris and Hunter had been absent, probably working but still, Arianna had come to enjoy the wry wit and teasing between the three members of their funky little group and hanging out with her own age had been boring. Didn’t help with Trent grinding his undersized, prepubescent manhood all over her ass every time they’d been on the dance floor. The fact she hadn’t decked him was a miracle, it just served to remind her of who wasn’t there and much more bewitching interludes to be had with a very tall, blond hotness in uniform.

With sleep proving elusive, Ari gave up and changed into exercise togs, clipping a much more streamlined pip-boy to her wrist with a decisive snap. A run might assist in quelling her churning mind and slipping past her father’s darkened bedroom she headed towards the fitness level. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The music pulsed from the open archway, much like the atrium lounge earlier but the time, so damned late. He knew that music. Chris did a sideways two step and caught himself before bouncing off the metal wall and on the rebound changed course. The bottom area, weights and video rooms with various classes had a stillness only lack of humanity could bring . The upper level though, where the full sized track circled around an open floor exercise area held a single occupant, running with purpose and in time to the blaring music only one vault resident had access too. A thick ponytail bounced along with her gait and even though he stood at the top of the stairs and a few hundred feet away, he could see the sheen of sweat on her skin. He should have turned around right there and kept plodding along to his quarters but the way she moved, the liquid grace and knowledge of just how sweet Rain tasted made self-preservation peel away in a wave of drunken lust, leaving just the rawness of his need. 

Unsteady but determined, Chris made it to one of the loungers on the side of the track and sprawled, heated gaze eating up every delectable inch of her ripe young body as it bounced lap after lap. Misgivings from earlier evaporated the longer he observed her, drinking her in.

It took Arianna a few moments to catch him there but as soon as she saw that blond head she jogged over to the synthesizer and grabbed a electrolyte replacement before wandering over to drop next to him. “Hey..” 

“Party didn’t tire you out?” Well into the inebriated stage of his evening, Chris’ voice seemed lower, a bass rumble in his chest. “Or fending off Trent?” Even as the words left his mouth, there was no stopping the purge of possessive envy till her silence ground it to a halt.

Lowering the bottle in her hand, cinnamon eyes narrowed while wheels purred in her head, intent expression fading as facts began to sort in neat, orderly fashion. Lips curled in a impish smile. “Oh, you were around then.” Setting the drink down on the table, Arianna stood and climbed onto his lap, straddling hips and settled her bottom on his thighs. A serpentine wiggle or two and bodies made contact on an intimate level, her sex over a growing erection as she lounged on the wide expanse of Chris’ chest, arms snaking around his neck. “Would have prefered it was you behind me.” Whether or not Arianna was deliberately prick teasing or legitimately flirting at the moment remained up in the air. 

Groaning he made a half assed effort to push her off but only succeeded in cinching her body tighter into his own, heat of her core an inferno on his already aching bulge. “Rain, listen I’m..”

“Slightly drunk?” She cut him off with a throaty laugh. “Libido rising?” 

Chris couldn’t contain the chuckle. “Sorry I mentioned Trent. You looked like you had your hands full.” Despite best intentions, the whiskey urged him to reach out and make contact, fingers curling up and over her shapely derriere, a push sending hips rolling and sliding.

Inside her shoes, toes curled as the friction between them sent a pulse of warmth from top to bottom and inflamed an ongoing ache between her legs that bordered on painful. Leaning back, brown clashed with blue as the pair realized just what a sharp edge they balanced on. 

“Rain…” Chris gripped her tighter for a second then flexed his hands, last thing he’d ever do was hurt her, even inadvertently. “We need to stop.” Brave word considering he did the opposite, controlling her movement and sending her rocking again, suspending them both in a surge of heat that send her head down to rest on his shoulder, soft keening moan of pleasure from her that made his hands shake. 

The song changed, the more melodic strains bringing a breathy laugh from the female so close he could feel each rise and fall of her breasts. “I love this song...reminds me of you.”

Your siren's calling, it's so inviting  
Your battle cries are hypnotizing  
I'm under your spell  
From heaven to hell  
The in between is so enticing

Husky, barely audible, Arianna’s mouth ghosted Chris’, murmuring lyrics between drugging kisses till instinct swallowed both whole. No more thought, no more dissection of motives and emotions, just that innate drive for completion. Arianna followed the press of her crush’s palms, body a supple undulation, pace set by the ever increasing drive for release. Panties slick, her sports bra bunched up under her arms, freeing breasts to his avid hands, she rode the sensations with no misgivings as tension began to build at the point of contact.

The words murmured against his mouth, the ravaging heat of her kisses and nubile body had pushed everything out of his mind save taking them both over the edge. Even late hours didn’t change the fact they were in a common area and open to anyone who walked into the fitness area. Didn’t matter that they lacked the final step of penetration, this had been at the heart of every fantasy, every fevered wet dream for months. She was here, her form exposed to his hands and urges, awash in a frenzied desire that had only one outlet. 

Kittenish moans muffled in Chris’ shoulder, Arianna’s movements became erratic and she started to pull away but his hand pushed her back into the cadence, lips next to her ear in the softest of whispers. “I have you, let go. ” Her one moment of lucidity vanished in complete trust in the man who held her, melting back into the pace with a growing weight in her nether regions. He too fell into the tempo, wanting the interlude to last but the pressure of impending climax made control fray till there was nothing but the drive to bring them both over the edge. The erotic dance became frantic and Arianna lay poised on a precipice. Muscles in her thighs tensed as she fought against the wave till there was nothing to stop her from falling. She smothered the cry in the fabric of his shirt, teeth sinking into muscle as her body convulsed in waves of white hot pleasure.Chris barely held on a second longer before he too succumbed, arms crushing her close as he too lost the battle and ground against her, climax roaring in his ears as his groan got muffled in the curve of her throat. 

The pair stilled, release leaving both limp and incapable of anything save a snuggle closer as the tide of bliss receded. Arianna settled with a wiggle and a sleepy yawn, her shift making Chris chuckle. “Rain, what the hell am I gonna do with you?” His lips grazed the soft spot under her ear, making her shudder and giggle just as quietly. 

“This, like again and again.” Her fingers played with the hair at the nape of his neck, eyes closed as fatigue began to seep in. Well, now she was tired which had been the idea behind the run to begin with. Now getting back to her quarters under her own power seemed a bit dubious so she cuddled closer and told herself ‘five more minutes’. 

Chris seemed just as inclined to stay immobile, orgasm sapping what little energy he had motored up to this level on. His grip on her loosened, hands moving over her back in a soothing rotation. “I wish beautiful. I’d like nothing better.” They sat there for awhile, a mess of tangled limbs till a strident voice from below brought her head up with a ‘you have to be kidding’ look at her partner in crime. 

“Chris, you up there?” Hunter knew the music and part of him hoped the few moments he gave whoever up there was enough to unclench and go to separate corners. 

A lingering kiss as she slid off his lap and tugged her bra and shirt back into place, Arianna turned to face the direction the yell had came from, giving Chris a moment to arrange himself as well, proof of ejaculation and her own release in the damp stains on both sets of clothing. His shirt had missed most of it and he yanked it down over his lap and sat forward, the spin of the room increasing at the change of position. She turned back at the groan that escaped and couldn’t hide the slight curve of amusement in her smile. “Still processing that alcohol baby?”

Hunter heard the last bit and complained sotto voice as he rounded the last corner to reveal who he’d suspected to begin with. “Dammit. I knew it as soon as I heard that crap you play in the lounge.” Watchful eyes went from one face to the next, not missing flushed cheeks and too bright eyes, finally coming to rest on Chris. “You just can’t stop yourself.”

The man in question just flipped him off as he reclined back, making sure to keep the clothing discrete. Unfortunately Hunter wasn’t in the same mood, flashing a frown in her direction. “You had sex didn’t you. Can’t keep it…” 

“Hey!” Arianna’s cry stopped the flow of words. “We didn’t….”

Chris laughed, head rolling to keep the other two in his line of sight. “Not really, more halfway almost sex.” 

“Oh my god.” Reaching out, Ari slapped Chris in the shoulder but the affection for him made it less outraged, more playful. “Discretion too much for you?”

Hunter moved around Arianna to Chris’ side, careful not to bump into the treacherous female and started to pull his buddy to his feet. “This is all your fault Raina. You’re not exactly resisting.” 

Arianna punched Hunter in the shoulder, loosening his grip on Chris and staggering the pair. “Exactly what are you implying?” 

“What do you think I’m implying?” Hunter went in to help again. “You’re a stalker.” He got another punch in the arm, this one with a touch more force and sending him sideways onto the couch next to Chris.

“You two keep this up I’m positive I’ll throw up.” Chris groused and started to pull away from Hunter. “Just leave me here…”

James, drawn by the music heard the last two sentences and the echo of his feet on the metal stairs couldn’t be missed by the three on the upper deck. Rounding the corner, Arianna stood with arms crossed over her chest, glaring at both men, anything to keep from meeting her father’s sharp gaze so soon after her erotic interlude. “I take it you need some help?” So many questions but he’d corner his daughter later. 

Hunter could feel a noose tightening around his neck as the Doc appeared, wondering just how they’d pull this off with his partner too tipsy to control himself and the only female with that after sex softness to her expression every time she looked that direction. “Yes sir. He had a bit too much and she’s too short.” 

Between the pair, they managed to get Chris up on his feet and down to the personnel level without running into anyone else, Arianna on their heels and constructing the lie her father would hear as soon as they returned to their quarters.


	10. Paranoia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The vault is beginning to unravel slowly, one thread at a time and it's time to choose who side they're on.

Something in the atrium was blooming. The rich sweetness ran in intervals in time with the fans, the cloying scent in short bursts almost unpleasant as Arianna, Hunter and Chris went thru a series of nerve slides, Ari in the lead, the other two doing their best to imitate her lithe flexibility. Without her father there, two of the three had been subtly playing, a touch here, smothered snicker there while Hunter just sighed in disgust and chastised occasionally. 

James’ arrival killed that vibe quickly and the three were all business as they started to roll through both left and right forms. Speed and accuracy was a thousand times better than when the men had started, something their lead instructor noticed with a small nod of approval. “You both have come a long way since the beginning. I’m impressed Arianna.” 

He gave all three a weather eye then pulled his daughter back out of harm's way. “You two, best of three.” Hunter and Chris moved into position and began to spar. Well matched, neither did much damage but there was a drive to come out on top, a push to win that made the struggle impressive. Hunter got the first knockdown, but Chris dominated the rest, doing a victory fist pump that made his partner snort in laughter. 

“Don’t celebrate too much. Winner gets her…” Hunter jerked a thumb at the slender female now sitting on one of the planter walls, kicking her feet with a grin on her face at his choice of words.

Chris gave Hunter a withering stare. “Really?” The sotto voice comment was below where James could hear but both understood why the petite girl was on the verge of giggles. 

Shaking his head, James approached and gave both males tips on how to avoid the mistakes he’d seen then asked Arianna for her input, which was basically the same. That done, he waved her into the area they’d claimed for practice. “You against both of them.” All three turned and stared in surprise. This was a first for sparring, uneven odds and something none had done up till now, even the nubile daughter but she moved into position with a shrug.

It started slow, almost lighthearted as the three danced and parried, speed coming with comfort but it still looked more like a frolic and less like a fight. James started in from the sidelines like a coach, shouting either encouragement or pushing the men into a more aggressive stance. “Dammit, just hit her.”

Hunter took it to heart and got bolder, blows beginning to make a difference in her defence. Chris though, he still went in for a clinch, feelings perhaps making him unwilling to cause much damage. Arianna for the moment was holding her own against them, challenge a touch less than going up against the man watching. Growling, James stepped into the fray with an odd look in his eyes. 

Ari caught her father in the peripheral and turned to block a blow but missed the kick, sending her back on her ass with a stunned glance before flipping to her feet. Jaw set with determination, brown eyes narrowed slightly as she tried to ready for the next flurry. Both men had stepped back, just as confused and slightly alarmed. 

“No, you’re thinking too much. React and allow instinct to guide you.” Slate blue eyes pinned both men in turn. “You two, quit messing around and take her down.” With that, the assault began. She was having to move fast to keep up, trying to dodge a trio of timed blows instead of two and Arianna struggled till limbs found a rhythm. 

James knew the moment his daughter slipped into the zone, her control still there but the males began to struggle to keep her from connecting. _Repulse monkey_ , Chris’ sidearm attack pushed back till he staggered, using his lack of balance to send him careening into her father. Hunter came from behind, locking her arms up but Arianna just smashed her skull back in reverse, the only thing stopping her noggin from hitting his nose was the quick jerk back of his own head. Chris staggered up for a frontal attack and legs came up to chest height, every bit of strength in the thrust that bounced her almost lover into the padded wal, sending him down to one knee. A twist of her body, forearms snapping the painful embrace with a grunt. She collapsed with a roll, grabbing Hunter’s wrists while placing her foot in his crotch to send him sailing overhead, narrowly missing his buddy in the process. Arianna then rounded on her father, the two exchanging punch and parry in a blur as sheer tenacity pushed her onward till James landed a blow to the ribcage, sending her down but not before she foot swept him onto his back and moved in for _needle at sea bottom_. 

“Uncle sweetheart, uncle.” Laughing but out of breath, he wrapped his fingers around her fist and pulled her into a half seated bear hug. “That is what I wanted to see.” A chance glance upward made the smile fade as he motioned for her to stand and nodded to the three men on the upper balcony. 

Chris, Hunter and Arianna all craned necks upward, varying expressions but all held on single commonality, chagrin as the identity of their audience became apparent, Overseer Almodovar, Security Chief Hannon and Officer O’Brian, a vicious, unthinking man who delighted in inflicting pain whenever he could in the course of his job. Almodovar’s expression was hooded but he too nodded at the group. “Well done, all of you. I’ve never seen this sort of recreation before. Carry on.” About to leave, he turned at the last second. “Sebastian and Morgan, report to me when this is concluded.” The little knot of men disappeared, leaving the ones on the lower level quiet for a long moment. 

“Shit.” Hunter broke the silence first, albeit with a winded effect thanks to his landing and privates, finally regaining his footing with a ill-humored glare in Arianna’s direction. 

Chris nodded in agreement. “Not gonna disagree.” Already misgivings were knotting up his stomach as his gaze slid to Arianna, impressed by her performance but fairly certain the overseer wouldn’t choose the same phrasing. 

Arianna had already shrugged it off, giving both men a grin tinged with cheeky humor. “Ready for another go round?”

Her father had the same cranky look the boys did, laying a hand on her shoulder and holding her back. “No. I think we’re done for the day. Gentlemen, good luck with your boss.” Fingers gripped her tighter when she made a move to pull away. “Arianna, let’s go.” His tone brooking no argument, the pair headed back down the hallway, Arianna giving both men a wave before rounding the corner out of sight. 

Hunter finally managed to stand upright, face drawn down into worried lines. “I’m not sure who’s in more trouble, us or them.”

Chris meanwhile was watching the other two go, only shifting focus when they were gone. “I’m still shocked she fought like that. That was….”

“Fuckin’ crazy is what it was. I’d hate to take one of those punches when she’s really pissed. I think it’d leave a hole.” Hunter finished the sentence and began to move towards the entrance the others had disappeared through. 

Chris’ mouth twisted into a half grin. “I’d like to see her land one on one of Butch’s crew.” There was a hint of pride in his tone. 

Hunter shook his head and started to drag his compatriot out of the atrium. “Come on, lets get this over with.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

James finished notes on a chart then gave Stanley a pat on the back. “You need more rest. Do that and the headaches and eye strain will abate.” Unlocking the med unit, he fished a bottle of aspirin out and passed it along with a note sheet folded in half. “I’m loathe to give you any more after this friend. Talk to the Overseer about lessening the workload.” He knew it wouldn’t happen but he had to do his duty, offering advice that fell on deaf ears.

Other ears though perked up and a dark head swiveled to face the pair across the lab. “Hey Stanley. Give me about half an hour and I’ll come down to pick up some slack. Maybe if we push you can get off a bit earlier and head home for dinner with the family.”

Arianna ignored the stern look her father graced her with, instead accepting Stanley’s thanks with a wide grin. 

“You bet Miss Arianna. You have a touch when it comes to the filtration systems lately.” Waving, he headed back out, shoving the pill bottle in his pocket after palming two and swallowing them dry with a grimace.

James waited till the door hissed shut before rounding on his daughter. “I thought we agreed you would be staying closer to home.”

She blinked owlishly then turned back to the task at hand, organizing the various drawers in the lab, again. “No dad, you decided I needed to stay close. I’m bored.” Slamming the bottom drawer shut with a clang, Arianna stood and stared into her father’s face, expression showing just a touch of irritation. “By the way, the calculations Jonas was working on, there was a coefficient error. I fixed it and re-ran the numbers. New values are on the sheet under it.” When he didn’t respond, she made a move to brush past him into the outer room of the clinic.

Quick fingers snagged her arm, spinning Arianna around to face all six plus feet of her father’s disapproval. “Young lady, I’ve always taken the easy road with you. I know this place isn’t perfect, I know you’re struggling to find a niche that fits but those two men...it’s inappropriate…”

A twist while pulling against his thumb and she broke the hold, taking a step to the side to avoid another grab. “If it was Trent would you be saying the same thing?”

“Arianna! You were out past curfew with them and both had obviously been drinking. Do you have any idea how much could have happened? How much could have gone wrong?” Looking into her face, seeing the same fire her mother had shown when they clashed over something, James felt the persistent pang of regret that Catherine wasn’t there return full force. Being a father was hard enough but without the feminine input he realized the willful, wild child standing toe to toe with him was having to navigate the hardest part of being human without a woman to talk to. As a physician he could only do so much but at this, this he failed at because the irrational, savage need to protect was the first inclination. 

“Seriously, they’re security and have more integrity than the rest of that department combined.” Her hand came to rest on his arm, walking in to snuggle up to his side. “Dad, you made sure I learned to never let anything hold me back, not age, not size and not the fact I’m a girl. You said whatever I wanted was within reach if I tried hard enough.” Up on tiptoe she pressed her lips to his cheek in the sweetest kiss. “I’ll be fine.”

His arms enveloped her in a bear hug and for a moment regretted that she’d grown so fast, wishing they could go back to when she was ten and her world centered around him. He loved her independence but worried that it would bring more pain than pleasure. “Things have been getting tense though darling. I don’t want you to become a target. Promise you’ll be careful and less of an instigator.” 

Laughing, Arianna hugged him back. “I’ll be good daddy.” Another energetic kiss and she was gone, off to the auxiliary hallways to where Stanley was hard at work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Clad in the same vault utility suit as before, this time with it zipped up all the way instead of wearing the upper half like a belt, Arianna lay on her back, hands deep in one of the filtration motors and swearing softly. Damned things had been jury rigged so many times that there were more bypasses than actual mechanical bits. Three more turns and the new circuit board clicked into place, making the unit hum instead of the odd gargle it had started to present every time it turned on. “Hey Stanley...I did it.” Looking around when a door closed with a thump, two sets of black work boots appeared on the other side of the unit she was working in. 

Unfortunately, it was easier to get into the thing than get out and when she jerked her arms back to start sliding out, a protruding bit of metal frame tore into the outside edge of her palm, leaving a furrow that seeped crimson. A sinuous twist brought her to her knees, wounded hand cradled carefully to keep blood from dripping into the machine’s innards. Two familiar faces stared as she gained her footing, her own lips curling into an ecstatic grin. “Damn, twice in one day.” She gave Hunter a one armed hug and turned to Chris with an impish smile and hungry eyes. 

He wasn’t looking at her face though, his focus was on her hand and the red rivulets tracking into the cuff of her coveralls. “Come on Rain.” Chris sounded oddly flat as he sat in the closest chair and pulled her into his lap, holding the injured limb up to avoid contact. “Hunter, the first aid kit.” As they waited, his head dropped, inhaling the scent of her while nuzzling the softness of her throat. 

Hunter handed the slim, white box over and leaned against the bigger machine.. “You must have ignored…” 

A stern scowl from Chris silenced the rest of the comment. Tenderly cradling her hand in his larger one, the security officer began cleaning the seeping gash without a word.

Didn’t matter, Arianna hadn’t missed a single cue in the wordless byplay. “Okay...one of you spill. You’re down here off duty looking for me. What the hell is going on?” 

The men exchanged a look but it was Chris who answered as he used the cryo stitches to bind the last of the cut. “Nothing you need to worry about. We’re gonna head over to talk to your father after dinner.”

Fighting to free his grip enough to get both men in view, Arianna’s voice had an almost frantic edge. “No….nooooo you can’t go to my father until you tell me what the hell is going on. I’ll never see the outside of my quarters at this rate.” Those liquid mahogany eyes sought out the blue of her helpful nurse. “Come on you know I’m right.”

Hunter caved like a paper doll. “Overseer’s cancelled all training and we were warned…” 

“HUNTER” Chris’ roar made the slender figure on his lap wince but his partner remained unfazed. 

Holding up his hand, Hunter kept going. “No Chris. She needs to know.” Moving to crouch within touching distance of the pair, he grabbed Arianna’s free hand. “Raina, Overseer Almovodar….”

Chris just stood up and set her on her feet, breaking contact and giving his friend a not-so-friendly push. “Grab what we brought and let’s head downstairs.” 

The low growl brooked no argument and the threesome slipped down to the reactor level with no encounters. Ari activated her security programs and palmed the biometric locks to open the refrigerator compartment in the desk. “Knock yourselves out.” Pulling cups off the shelf in the corner, she slopped hefty drams of scotch in all three before going to snag her chair. Chris beat her to it, booze in hand and once again she found herself settled in the lap of a six foot, four inch all muscle cushion with an iron grip around her waist. 

Chris, content with his prize, nodded at Hunter. “Now finish. No one to overhear.”

Hunter meanwhile was separating the contents of two boxes on to plates on the battered worktable, passing them around before posting up on the stool from the first go round. “So, Almodovar praised the initiative in training but has his doubts about the usefulness so it’s to stop.” He glared at her over the rim of his cup. “And considering how my jewels are feeling right now, I’m not going to complain.”

Winding her fingers around Chris’, the giggle that escaped sounded muffled thanks to the cup she sipped out of. “Like I said when we started all this, make sure the opponent can’t get back up.” Her amusement faded and she patted Hunter’s forearm. “I’m sorry though, it was heat of the moment stuff. Nothing you’ve done so far made me want to crush your testicles.” 

A choked out laugh from behind her as Chris did his best not to cough out the liquid in his mouth. Hunter lightened up and let a half smile escape. “I like the fact you think I’m eventually gonna deserve it.” The grin faded. “But between us something’s up. The overseer seems really keen on keeping you on a short leash.”

“I think it’s to keep the Doc under control.” Chris chimed in from above her, still basking in the heat of her body and soft weight. Hunter was doing a bang up job of editing the conversation between them and the overseer so he was enjoying a moment that might be the last of its kind for awhile. Both had left the meeting with a queasy feeling, the implications and half spoken threats like a cloud over the usually lighthearted banter the three often shared. Truthfully helping Doc Talos lock her down seemed like the best plan but considering just how well she’d listened to advice thus far, it seemed like the one destined to fail. 

Arianna reached over to the plate of sandwiches and snagged one before falling back onto Chris’ chest, chewing thoughtfully before piping up. “It might be. Not like I’m doing anything obvious.”

It took Hunter a few minutes to stop laughing. “Not obvious. Jesus Raina you know more of what goes on here than the overseer. You hacked the G.O.A.T., humiliated the biggest pain in the ass multiple times and have probably violated every security protocol Almodovar put into place when he took over. You’re right. You’re a model vault citizen.” 

“Not to mention this.” Chris lifted his arm and dragged her delicate wrist up with it, exposing the modified pip-boy. “This is how you wander in and out around here isn’t it.”

Munching, one limb elevated, she watched him with an owlish stare till her mouth was empty, a faint stain of pink on her cheeks. “Maybe. I mean it was bulky and kinda unattractive so I just fixed it up a bit.” Her free shoulder lifted then dropped in a half shrug. “I really need constant stimulation or I get bored.”

“I’m leaving that one alone.” Hunter’s tone was wry as he finished his lunch and shook what was left in the box of crisps into his mouth. 

Chris let her arm drop and nuzzled her ear. “So, tell me.” His voice was low, whisper soft. “What can you do with it? If I wanted to find you lets say…” 

Her eyes narrowed but Arianna didn’t push him away. “You’d have the same luck dad does. It shows where I am if I want to be found…”

“If not?” Hunter was transfixed.

“Then it randomly pings from different locations at indiscriminate time intervals under 30 minutes.” She gave both males a sly glance. “I can also communicate much like you security guys IF you allow me to modify your units. I just need the PN numbers and a few moments to tweak some settings”

Chris’ head dropped into her the crook of her neck. “Rain, did you override the security features?” His tone held a touch of incredulity.

Her dark head bobbed an assent. “Well, yeah. Like I need those security asshats looking over my shoulder 24/7.”

The pair groaned almost in unison, muttering a variety of swear words till Arianna’s peals of laughter brought scrutiny back where it belonged. A hand cupped her chin and dragged her face up to his, exasperation in every line of his face. “Did you ever think your absence on security logs might just be noticable?”

Confused, she pushed his hand away and stood up. “Like I’m that slow. It’s the same set up as my father’s when I don’t want company. Completely random locations.” Walking over to where the bottle of scotch sat, Arianna poured herself another dram. “I’m far from stupid thank you. I’ve been running rings around all of you for years.” 

Chris slammed his cup down on the desk and stood, yanking Arianna’s out of her hand and lifting her with barely contained ferocity. Her butt hit the worktable where the booze and food sat with an audible thump, his fingers digging into her jaw and forcing her face up till they were nose to nose. “I am very aware of what a wild child you are, having the run of the place with little thought to consequences but the last few incidents have brought you to the wrong people’s attention.”

Letting her go, he engaged the biometric on his pip-boy and handed it to her. “Do what you need to. I just need to know where you are all the time. None of that shit you pull with your dad.”

Arianna’s brows drew together as she looked at the unit in her hand. “I don’t know.”

Another unit appeared in her field of view. “ You’re not safe Raina, don’t think that because you see a blue uniform that somehow you’ll get help.The only thing keeping you remotely protected is your friendship with Amata.” Hunter looked at Chris and raised an eyebrow. 

Chris knew the answer to the silent question his friend posed and gave a slight shake of his head. No point in telling a still young girl that one of security had volunteered to take care of the problem in the most horrific ways or stand by while he and Hunter did it cause he liked to watch. 

The words took a moment to filter through, confusion because of all the possible outcomes this had never entered her mind. “Come on, you can’t be serious.” The sober bent of the men and her own knowledge from hacking the overseer’s files forced a conclusion that made a bit of bile rise in her throat. “Okay...okay. But not the last part. “ She took a breath to keep her head together, to force some levity to keep things from getting too heavy to handle. “I’ll set up the same access Dad has as well as comm links but if you wanna follow me I get to follow you.” 

Hunter laughed but shook his head. “Hell no. I gotta have a few secrets for myself.” 

Chris, who’s hand had been tangled in the thick waves of hair at the back of her head, maneuvered her mouth up for a delicate brush of a kiss. “Whatever you want. I want to know where you are all the time.” 

Extricating herself and hopping down to the floor, Arianna pulled a few things from the toolbox in the corner and started working, mind moving faster than her fingers were. Trust in whatever they had together just increased tenfold, Chris’ capitulation both a secret thrill and a stomach wrenching drop. It meant things had gotten complicated and she’d missed it. 

A few tweaks, a few moments of typing and file sharing and Arianna returned the units, showing both men how the link-up worked. Hunter seemed the most taken with the now open communication coupling. “Damn what I wouldn’t have done for this during Brotch’s classes.” 

Chris shook his head, exasperated and tugged on a tendril of hair just over Arianna’s ear. “These secure? No one can hear us?” 

Favoring him with a sly grin, she nodded. “Yeah, and if you can’t talk, a virtual keyboard pops up and you just enter text.” The smile faded as once again her feet left the floor and Chris plopped her down on the same spot. His mouth devoured hers, a greedy attack that left her whimpering and clinging like a limpet to the arms around her, thighs locked tight around his hips. 

Behind them, Hunter snorted in disbelief. “Jesus you two need to get a room.”

Breaking the sensual communion took every bit of willpower he possessed, staring down into the delightful lines of her face, expression of need in mahogany eyes a reflection of the hunger in his own. “Let’s keep our distance for a bit. Let things cool down.” His mouth found her ear, whisper soft comment for her only. “It’s going to be harder for me than it is you beautiful. Trust me.”

Placing her gently on her feet, he motioned for all of them to get moving. “Now, lets go before anyone notices all of us gone at once.”


	11. Completion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They finally take it to the next level but how long will it last before events tear them apart?

They lasted two weeks.

Two entire weeks of dodging one another, changing direction when the other advanced and making sure eyes didn’t meet accidentally at whatever function they happened to attend together. That included cafeteria dining to the occasional game in the atrium, though lack of players had basically hamstrung the baseball leagues since Butch’s Tunnel Snakes had decided baseball sucked and their members were age perfect for the teams. 

And it started innocently enough, another radroach infestation in the lower levels had security scrambling since the maintenance levels, which were often point of entry, had no weapons save a few heavy tools and a lot of attitude. A six-man team was en route to the lower levels, thump of that many boots making the walls vibrate as they half jogged, half ran with both guns and flamethrowers at the ready. Most of maintenance had already evacuated, a few hardy ones staying back to watch the excitement, including Arianna and Stanley. 

Leaning against a door jam, the usual half on/half off untility jumpsuit and green tank a bit grungy with the cutest anime ponytails on each side of her head, Arianna watched them go with a wry, amused look on her face. She gave Chris a kissy moue as he jogged past, which made Hunter thump his partner in the bicep to keep focus. 

“Thought you two were keeping things cool.”

Chris looked thru the plexi of his helmet with a grin. “That was cool. I looked fuckin’ amazingly cool.”

Hunter rolled his eyes, grunting in what sounded suspiciously like disgust. “You need to loosen up those straps friend. You might be cutting off some blood to the brain.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once past maintenance, the hallway narrowed into a dim corridor flooded with red emergency lights. The thrum of the reactor seemed to echo, the vault’s heartbeat down this far into the bowels of the instillation, making it hard to hear the threat till they were literally on top of it. The hissing reverberated as the six men backpedaled from the dozen or more cat sized insects bobbing heads and flapping wings before attacking. 

Wolfe, Hunter and Chris had done this so often it became rote but both Armstrong and Stevie Mack were struggling, firing wildly with both gun and flamer. Chris dodged a swing with the flamethrower nozzle and knocked Hunter to the left as well, avoiding an epic singe but infuriating the pair till Chris finally knocked Stevie back into the bulkhead like wall. Shoving his helmet visor back, a savage blue stare pinned the smaller man as Chris leaned in to snarl. “Keep your shit under control or get the fuck back upstairs.” 

Mack had the nerve to bluster back. “Like your head isn’t in your pants thanks to the doc’s brat up there.” 

One second of time to stop the roll of events but noone noticed save Hunter and he was just too far away. Locking his hand around Stevie’s throat, Chris just lifted and smacked him back, the metallic thud just one of the random pings bouncing off the walls along with diminishing whistling cacophony of insect noise. The first one staggered his opponent, the second drove Officer Mack to his knees. Crouching, not observing Hunter moving in from behind, Chris went nose to nose one more time. “Watch that mouth or next time you won’t be walking back, you’ll be carried.” 

One last shove knocked the other man on his ass as Hunter cinched his fingers in Chris’ collar and hauled him up. “Back to work, kick his ass later.” Grumbling he returned to the fray, snapping off shots with barely controlled fury. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They were quieter coming back so two officers had passed before Arianna turned around and caught the rest going by. Wally’s brother gave her a belligerent black look as he cruised past where she sat at her bench but kept his mouth shut. Could have been rumors of what the Overseer had seen that afternoon in the atrium, could be the blond, hulking ferocity two steps behind him that made sure all that transpired _was _a look. Chris stopped and watched the rest go, only Hunter following his partner’s lead and lingering after the rest of the security detail returned to the upper levels.__

__As soon as they were all out of earshot, Hunter rounded on his companion. “What the hell was that?” He used his finger to make each point. “You concentrate on the job at hand, not personal bullshit.”_ _

__The sinister lines of body and face just tightened as Chris moved forward into the jabbing digit. “I’m not going to get hit by panicked crossfire.”_ _

__“That’s not what set you off.” Hunter puffed up too, both men riding a high of testosterone and adrenaline, pushing the aggression levels to a point where Arianna finally hopped off her perch._ _

__She went to step between them till the smell of roach guts and smears on the uniforms kept her at arm's length. “Enough, both of you.” Spotting a clear patch of blue, Arianna pushed Chris to get his attention. “Opposite corners and take a breather till you can play nice.”_ _

__Hunter tossed his helmet into the organized chaos of Ari’s bench, eliciting a squeal of protest and it getting lobbed back with a ‘do you mind?’ before he could even remove his gloves. “Alright...Jesus don’t get your panties in a twist.” He started setting his stuff on one of the worktables in the far corner._ _

__“Get your mind off my panties thank you.” There was no edge in the admonishment as her focus shifted to Chris, still bleeding off anger like a storm with blue eyes blazing. “What the hell is up?”_ _

__Breathing like a bull ready to charge, Chris took three steps towards her before stopping. “Watch out for Officer Mack Rain.” His jaw worked as if something would follow but instead he spun on his heel and stalked in the same direction as the wall of blue a few moments ago._ _

__Hunter and Arianna exchanged a puzzled glance. “What happened down there?” Her query was nearly identical to his a moment before._ _

__He watched his partner stomp off then dropped onto her vacated stool. “Mack and Armstrong forgot firefight protocols and were just unloading all over the damned place. Nearly lost my eyebrows to Armstrong’s flamer.” Digging around while chatting, he found a box of sugar bombs and helped himself. “Chris took offense and schooled Mack but...” Hunter paused and shoved a few in his mouth then talked around them. “But it was something Mack said after tall, blond and pissy there had him by the throat that really fanned the fire. Chris bounced him off a wall a couple times before I redirected him.”_ _

__Chewing, his lighter blue stare skimmed her face. “I’m thinking maybe cooling off isn’t exactly working as planned.” Finishing off the dregs and sugar dust, he tossed the box into the corner trash can and gathered up his filthy gear. Stopping in front of her, Hunter chucked her under the chin. “Maybe you both need to rethink it cause more than a few weeks of this and I’m liable to start punching people too.”_ _

__He laughed as he stepped out into the corridor. “Well he needs to rethink it. From what I hear you don’t have any qualms.”_ _

__Arianna took a page out of Chris’ book and flipped Hunter off as he started up the stairs. “Bite me”. Turning after shouting that at a retreating back, she ran right into Stanley, who looked concerned._ _

__“Arianna, I couldn’t help but overhear. Officer Sebastian is right. Stevie isn’t right in the head in some ways and I think you should do as he suggested, avoid him if you can.” He patted the small woman on the shoulder. “Can’t take care of this place by myself you know.”_ _

__Nodding, a frown growing and drawing brows downward, she hugged the taller man. So much to digest._ _

__~~~~~~~~~~~~~_ _

__Chris couldn't be found after the call downstairs, instead choosing to remain sequestered in his quarters. After a synth dinner, he sat on the slightly battered sofa, shirtless and nursing a scotch. No longer covered in greenish stains and smelling a hella better, going up to socialize seemed pointless even with Hunter’s offer of pool and female company. He didn't want just any female, he wanted one and she remain elusively out of reach due to his resolve to keep it frosty until she got older._ _

__The day had been a painful reminder, her appearance in that doorway like dangling a prize deliberately out of reach. The realization that he craved her spirited discourse as much as her sensual distraction hurt even worse. Mack’s comments just drove it home and he’d overreacted, very likely painting a target on her back and leaving her vulnerable. Setting the glass down with a thump, he went after the pip-boy on the dresser in his bedroom and was thumbing it on when the lock on his door disengaged with a click. When Chris saw who it was giving his rooms the once over, his stomach dropped like a rock while other things stirred, a reminder that her allure doubled and redoubled the longer he endured this separation._ _

__“Of course it would be you.” Rubbing a hand wearily over his face, Chris dropped onto the sofa. “You like to explain?” Leaning forward to snag the scotch, he rested forearms on knees and waited, blue eyes relentless. Inside, something screamed for him to reach out, find that baby soft skin just under the curve of her bustline while plundering her mouth but no hints of the internal battle crept into his expression._ _

__Arianna shrugged with a sheepish smile. “Stanley put me on maintenance rolls to give me access to the vault subsystems since I help so much.”_ _

__“Well, maintenance doesn’t have clearance to access security officers or the Overseers quarters and you know that’s not what I wanted explained.” Exasperated and on fire to his very core, illicit excitement built as he watched her wander closer, lights on her own pip-boy dancing as they probably hid her location from everyone but him. That alone added spice to the encounter, knowledge that no matter what happened between them, this time there would be no interruption to stop the events from proceeding. Warning bells should have fired off but he just stayed motionless and prayed for some sort of salvation._ _

__An eyebrow shot up at the attitude but Arianna skirted his position and made her way to where other glasses sat, pouring herself a healthy portion of scotch from the bottle on the shelf. “True, maintenance doesn’t have clearance. I do.” Turning, she took a sip and watched him with gleaming eyes. “And why I’m here, well you need to explain what the hell happened downstairs to make you such a bear.”_ _

__Chris stood and moved to block her from avoiding him again, nodding at the glass. “You know, you’re not supposed to be drinking at your age. It’s a bad habit I’ve noticed.” He attempted to remove the glass from her hand. After a little dodge and parry with her, Chris managed to close his fingers over hers and instantly regretted it, proximity bringing the heady scent of her that tightened nether regions painfully. His grip loosened and dropped the contact as if burnt. This was insane, need raging inside like a horny teen and nothing had transpired yet but the barest contact. Problem was the longer they stayed out of sight with so many comfortable places to throw her down on, the harder all this was going to be. “I think you’d better go.”_ _

__“Now who’s avoiding the question?” Not shy, emboldened by his reaction to her, Arianna lifted a hand and placed fingertips on his upper pectoral, tracing her way towards the flat nipple with an innocent stare up into that forbidding blue gaze. “You are so warm…” Reasons for being there vanished like smoke at the touch of skin on skin, natural curiosity warring with an intuitive eroticism that made her hunger to explore the differences one tiny detail at a time. You couldn’t miss the war inside him, how he fought the drugging passion that kept mounting the moment they had a moment alone. Arianna didn’t need him to come to his senses, she needed him to lose it all._ _

__The hand that intercepted before she reached her target had a slight tremor, as did the voice that growled softly along her hairline as he leaned forward to make his point. “Rain, we had a deal. Cooling off remember?”_ _

__Chris was so close it only took a second to rise up on tiptoe and place a fleeting kiss just below his ear, the soft laugh a puff of breath along the sensitive skin. “No, you wanted a deal, I didn’t agree to a damned thing.” The scotch still curled in one hand, the other trapped by her would-be lover, it took a second to step into his body, flare of warmth from bare flesh bleeding thru the thin shirt till her nipples puckered in reaction. Another inch and there’d be nothing but naughty intentions and a few flimsy layers between them and it made her wet just thinking about it.._ _

__Jerking back so quick the contents of the shelf rattled as he smacked into it, Chris tried to put distance between him and the wanton creature playing with fire. He’d felt those pebble hard peaks and knew he’d get no help if he couldn’t stem the tide of need fast. “Dammit Rain. I’m serious.” He returned to the sofa, Arianna right on his six till she found a perch on the chair arm a few feet away from his spot. “I meant it when I said we need to wait. You’ll be 18 in a little over a year…” Even to his ears the comment sounded hollow, lacking conviction because her so close he could track the pulse at the base of her throat wreaked havoc with his control. Already the tenuous hold on base urges frayed, threads beginning to unravel at an alarming pace as Chris clenched his hands so tight knuckles whitened in an effort to keep from reaching out for her willing flesh._ _

__“Bullshit” Blurting out the curse, the glass got slapped onto the table. “Eighteen? A year? What the hell is it with you and my father and this arbitrary age of adulthood that I have to get past to do what I want to do.” Chris should have glanced up at the vehement outburst, he would have seen what was coming. It frustrated her, his steadfastness at staying this course. Longing for the same level of companionship married with a physical need made her keep trying, keep pushing till she found his breaking point._ _

__Sliding down till she knelt at his feet, expression intent as Arianna tried to connect. “Listen, what exactly do you think will happen in a year? More maturity? More emotionally prepared for intimacy and relationships? I’m there already, well above my own age group and you know it. Look at Butch and Amata, Paul and Wally. You really think I’m at their level? Even though three of the four meet the random qualification you set up for this you know I’m not like them, I’m not like anyone.”_ _

__Chris kept his quiet, struggling against a tide of emotion that made countering her arguments problematic on a good day, near impossible with her fierceness fanning flames of his carnal appetites and emotional hunger._ _

__Rising up enough that her hands fell to his knees, her body tilted towards him and brought their faces so close she could see the streaks of amber in those blue eyes. “I think you’re just pulling this strong arm shit to get a bit of distance, like somehow we stay away from each other and you’ll get the discipline back to say no.”_ _

__No warning from her as her lips found his. A quick, short kiss before she pulled back enough to look back into his shocked face. “It isn’t gonna happen, not now. You’ve chased me as much as I’ve tempted you and we passed the point of no return months ago.” Lithe, sinuous lines of a warm body snaked up to straddle his legs, arms inching up till fingers could smooth the soft hairs at his nape. This propelled him backward, allowing the fey creature to arrange her curves exactly as she saw fit to._ _

__Chris should have pushed her off, demanded she go, hell tossed her out on her cute ass but he was stone, immobile as she found the same spot she’d claimed that night in the fitness center. Mound over the ridge of his erection, thighs trapped by a pert bottom, she had him pinned and all he could manage was hands around her waist as Arianna wiggled till she found the right spot with a little sigh of delight. Maybe if he stopped breathing the raging flood of passion would abate, allow sanity to gain the upper hand._ _

__The curve of her lips widened, victory in sight as Chris stopped fighting the physical contact and let her have her way. Tilting into the muscled length of him, her mouth nuzzled his again. “You know I’m right, we’ve gone way too far together to stop now. I can’t forget how good it felt.” Mahogany eyes met blue before lashes dipped as her lips grazed his, flick of her tongue a beguiling start to a soul stealing kiss._ _

__So much for sanity, it fled at the assault that was a kiss. God the girl learned fast with the way tongue and mouth worked to entangle his senses as easily as she had immobilized his body. Chris lost the ability to form a coherent thought when she leaned back and stripped her shirt off over her head, leaving only white lace between him and the rounded globes of her breasts._ _

__“Touch me.” Another tangle of tongues and captivating kisses. “I know you want to. The way you look at me when you’re excited makes me so wet.” Her body undulated, sliding along her perch with an agile roll of the hips, taking her along the length of his erection to prove just how true her words were._ _

__Something in him snapped, hands that had been still buried themselves in the thick tresses that hung down her back and jerked her into the hard expanse of his chest. “Damn you Rain. Only you…” Growling against her throat, no rancour colored the words as he arched her back with the grip in her hair to bury his face in the soft swell of her cleavage. In fact the tone held a wealth of emotion that bordered on tenderness as nimble fingers peeled the clasp apart and sent the thin scrap of bra sailing into a corner. His lips explored the skin revealed inch by slow inch, making Arianna whimper in delight as he took time to do what he’d fantasized about since that night in the fitness center. But it wasn’t enough and the bed was so damned close. Her world canted as he stood, hands gripping the firm ass as she clung to him, walking them both into the bedroom and kicking the door shut with finality._ _

__The bed he settled her on was made, smelling of the vault laundry and whatever soap Chris used in his shower. Laying back, feeling his voracious gaze skimming her curves, Arianna focused her own passion clouded eyes on the big man just standing there near the edge of the mattress. His face had relaxed, tension gone as he reached down to trail fingers over the concave curve of her belly. “God you're beautiful.” The second hand joined the first and snaked under the waistband of her pants, tugging them off in a smooth glide that made her shiver._ _

__Bare except for a matching scrap of white lace over her nether regions, Arianna just stretched her arms up, flexing all the ripe contours of her body in a sinuous twist that lacked artifice but spoke volumes to how awakened her innocent sexuality truly was. Lips parted on a breathly laugh at his comment, reaching for him. “And you’re too far away. Come warm me up.” As if to prove her point, aureoles puckered, rosy tips a prize all on their own and one he couldn’t resist. Climbing till he hovered over her, that blond head lowered, taking one then the other into his eager mouth. Each lave of the tongue tugged somewhere low, soaking the material between her legs and evoking whimpers of pleasure. She moved restlessly, wanting more touch, more pressure, more of that warm body up against hers. Calloused hands stilled the movements, gliding upwards to capture her wrists, guiding them to the headboard and curling them around the posts. “I’ve waited too long to rush.”_ _

__That low rumble of his voice made her quiver and he worshiped every inch of her body, one slow drag of tongue and fingers at a time. Throat, silken skin nipped till her toes curled. Breasts, nipples teased to hardness then gripped in Chris’ teeth while his tongue flicked along the hard tip, one side then the next till Arianna arched her back with a lusty groan. But he wasn’t done, taking it even further than her heated imagination had come up with in the dark hours of the night as he followed the line of her hip down to the nest of curls at the juncture of her thighs. Nipping thru the sheer lace, delicate pressure increasing till even that fragile barrier fell to his questing hands, tossed aside as his mouth found the very heart of her, exploring with a thoroughness that left her panting and on the edge._ _

__Her responsiveness was insane. No shyness or hesitation, Arianna gave into everything like a hedonist, loving the experience as much as the sensations and that alone kept Chris hard, needing to make sure the first time was as over the top as every encounter had been thus far. Sliding up, he captured her mouth as his hand took over down below. Lips tasting of her, tangy salt flavor as tongues tangled and teeth dragged along whatever flesh could be found. Only once did Arianna try to reach for him and he blocked her with a whispered “not yet’._ _

__Two fingers, then three slipped inside her, so tight and so wet that Chris groaned with a chuckle. Her hips bucked at the invasion but when his thumb found the bundle of nerves at the top of her cleft, the rocking took on a purpose, every nuance of her budding orgasm telegraphing to her lover with just that single point of contact. Just like in the gym, her movements began to short circuit, rhythm stilling as impending wave pinned her with an onslaught of sensation. Thighs tensed around his forearm as with little warning she plunged over the edge and into a cacophony of pleasure, convulsions drawing his fingers even deeper till with a shudder the waves abated, leaving her limp and relaxed._ _

__Only then did Chris move over her, guiding himself to the very entrance his hand had just vacated, propped up on his forearms. Lips near her ear, he murmured softly. “Rain, you ready…”_ _

__Finally free of his fierce grip on her wrists, Arianna lowered her hands, playing along the muscled expanse of his back, finding the tight muscled ass and digging nails in with a breathy giggle. “Mmmmm….” She pulled and he kept going, even soaking wet she was tight and his hands shook with the effort to keep from plunging home._ _

__He stopped just at the fragile barrier of her hymen, cupping her head in his hands and kissing her deeply. “Rain…” Chris was trying to prepare her, to tell her to keep still and to let everything acclimate but again she forestalled him with a nip to his bottom lip._ _

__“I’m a doctor’s daughter. I know more about anatomy than you do.” No other warning as her legs flexed and she arched up, shoving his thick member home. It was painful, more than she expected and the teeth at his shoulder bit down to keep the cry from escaping, fingernails leaving red marks as they slipped down from mid-back to waist._ _

__Left speechless, both by her actions and the sheer sensation of being buried deep in that heated, slick sheath, he did what he could to keep her motionless, struggling to get his control back while her body got used to the intimate invasion. “You feel good baby, so good…” He captured her mouth again, wanting to bring the frenzy of passion back before he started moving, knowing his staying power this time would be pathetic. Her hips bucked and he pressed her further into the bed with a guttural moan “Be still or…”_ _

__Ari on her part got used to the invasion of her body, rigid length inside her felt hotter, stretched her to just the edge of discomfort but as the pain faded, the sensations became urgent, building till she wanted to move. Another undulation, very tip of his shaft rubbing on that sweet spot deep inside making her eyes close with a rush of breath. “Oh…” Her petite frame, his bulk made the veined length of his cock caress the nub at the top of her folds and the heaviness in her womb was back, bigger and fuller than before._ _

__“More….please, more..”_ _

__Already he was on the brink of losing everything but the drive to finish and her whispered plea, feeling of teeth on the rigid cords of his neck brought it all to a head. Thrusting slowly at first, her part of the dance took on a frantic edge at the duel edged sword of penetration and stimulation of her clit. They were past stopping, past care for the other save the need to make that final moment a duo._ _

__Chris felt her fingers digging deep, legs clenching around him as the velvet channel he pounded began to constrict. She came screaming into his throat as the convulsions of her canal pulled him deeper, bumping her cervix and sending him into a downward spiral. The drive to completion took on animalistic fervor till he too descended into release, his own moans hidden as he buried his face in her neck, bathing her honeypot with a heated wash of his seed._ _

__Stillness fell as both recovered, languorous pile of limbs entangled on the top of the sheets, pillows on the floor. Chris had rolled them both, still nestled within her silken folds and unwilling to part just yet. Her head on his bicep, arms and legs finding a comfortable knot till it was skin on skin from top to toe. Arianna lifted her lips enough to nuzzle under his chin, laugh barely above a whisper. “You’re already gettin’ scruffy. I like it.”_ _

__A bass chuckle answered the comment as he kept her moving till his mouth found hers in a delicate brush of a kiss. “Rain, you are a force of nature and I seem to have no control when I’m around you.” He would have kept going, should have pushed to set limits on future contact but having her there, cuddled up, all curves and velvety skin pushed anything but enjoying the closeness to the side._ _

__“I know.” That bald statement drew another chuckle from her lover. Pushing the tendrils of hair out of her face, he drew his thumb over her bottom lip. “You telling me you planned this?” No disbelief in the tone, just a quiet resignation tinged with humor._ _

__Lifting her lashes, Arianna hit him with the full force of her cinnamon shaded eyes. “Mmmhmmm, I would have done anything I needed to get you right here.” Yawning, she managed to wiggle just a touch closer. “Now you’re stuck with me.” Playfulness shaded the softly spoken words._ _

__The smile on Chris’ face dimmed a bit with the knowledge that rather than bank the fires between them, the interlude may have fanned them. “Question is, where do we go from here Rain?” She was still underage and he’d bet money that them being a pair would still cause friction. But no response was forthcoming, the slim girl already dozing off. Tucking her in a bit closer he made a mental note to set a clock for an hour in a moment but he too yielded to sleep._ _

__~~~~~~~~~~~~~_ _

__Arianna stirred first, a bit disoriented for a moment but gradually things began to filter in. Warmth and weight at waist and where two sets of legs jumbled together, skin on skin like a blanket and the occasional soft snore from the much larger male at her side. Wiggling to free up an arm, she posted up enough to take him in, letting her fingers explore muscled hills and valleys along his side and chest. He’d kept such tight control that there’d been no opportunity to delve into the tactile differences between them. Firm muscled under slightly olive skin, flat nipples a few shades darker then her own and abdominal ridges that made her breath catch. Letting her nails drag past the V of the hip, she studied his manhood with a lip caught in between pearly white teeth. Even half erect as it was now, he had an impressive size and Arianna marveled that it had all fit. She’d been just about to touch him when he stirred and rolled over onto his stomach, exposing his back and ribbons of scratches along the planes of his back and buttocks. Her face screwed up in dismay at the injuries, making her draw back with a tinge of guilt on her face. Talk about a lack of control._ _

__Catching a glimpse of the clock on the bedside table, Ari groaned internally and slipped out from under the arm trapping her at his side. Eleven thirty already, her father would be looking for her if she didn’t appear soon. Frowning at the loss of warmth and faint twinges of pain that were proof of their interlude, she headed to the bathroom to shower and clean the red streaks from her thighs and belly. At least Chris had dark blue sheets on the bed, the evidence of her innocence didn’t show up much._ _

__First thing he heard was water pelting the wall in the bathroom, then noticed her absence. Naked, Chris padded to the open door and peered in, catching her reflection in the steam streaked mirror, a hazy outline of that amazing body thru the shower curtain and felt urges rising with a twinge of chagrin. Of course, like once would sate the longing that had built up over months of foreplay. He’d been turning when she called out. “Come on, shouldn’t waste water. The overseer would thank us.”_ _

__The comment made him laugh and join her, already erect but playing it off casual as he stepped in and got another look at those lush curves. She went in for a hug first, all soapy and slick with skin as hot as the water raining down on them both, then pulling back she teased his flesh with her fingers. Dipping lower and lower till he cut her off with a blurring grab at her hand, Arianna made a face but he shook his head. “Rain, you’re probably sore and we’re not going to start..”_ _

__She cut him off with a kiss, up on tiptoe and managed to snake an arm up to lock around his neck. A twist of the wrist brought a reversal of positions and it was her pulling his hand down to the damp curls of her sex, a giggle escaping. “Pretty please, if it’s too much I’ll tell you.”_ _

__Unable to resist, Chris followed her lead._ _


	12. Not so Secret Anymore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things have heated up but can Chris and Arianna keep them from falling apart?

They fell into a routine. Once the shackles peeled away, Chris and Arianna managed to steal time alone on a surprisingly regular basis. Lulls in her studies, his work schedule and meal breaks meshed perfectly, allowing for interludes of passion and exploration that took both by surprise. Chris constantly found himself astounded by her lack of boundaries and willingness to experiment with him in the lead as well as a boundless curiosity that introduced her own unique sensual appetites. It boiled down to a simple fact, once involved, the urgency morphed into enticement with an end game of whatever diversion they agreed upon.

With that problem solved, their passing glances and interactions had a more circumspect air, taking the prying eyes off them for a time since most in the vault assumed things had cooled, included James and Overseer Almodovar. Only a few still suspected, Amata for one and Hunter had his doubts as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two dark heads were bent together, nearly touching as they went line by line over Amata’s classwork. Arianna, stylus in hand kept poking and writing, frowning at her friend. “Amata, do you even pay attention in Brotch’s class? These mistakes are like, three levels below you.” At that moment, Chris and Hunter strode by, the former winking and getting favored with a quick smile before returning attention to the conversation. 

Amata blushed and shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe. I mean Trent has been passing notes while Brotch is droning on and on..” She sighed dreamily. “He’s so cute but I’m sure daddy won’t approve.” 

Unable to stop the snicker, Arianna shoved the tablet back after tapping the save button with her stylus. “He’s gonna love it I’m sure. You can’t miss the messages all over, I mean really…procreate it’s your duty and all that….”

Turning to watch the pair of security officers, who everyone knew were thick as thieves with her friend, Amata peered into Arianna’s face till it was the other girls turn to flush. “So, how about you explain that.” A jerk of her chin indicated the boys.

“What, Hunter and Chris? They’re way more fun than going to classes.” She flashed a winning smile that apparently Amata didn’t buy.

Amata shook her head. “Oh no you don’t. Ain’t no missing what goes on between you and that big one, who I might add is looking fine as hell lately.” 

Chewing on her bottom lip, Arianna pondered just how much to give away. “Well, we’re kinda more than friends.”

Leaning in, you couldn’t miss the flush of interest in her friend’s stare. “Spill. I mean like details. I mean, how far have you gone?”

The other girl blinked owlishly. “You mean like……..?”

Amata rolled her eyes. “Come on Rainy, it’s me. First base...second…...you know, how far?”

“Oh. “ Now the stain on those lovely cheekbones darkened. “I think it’s a home run…”

The overseer’s daughter sat back, shocked look on her face fading to one of captivation. “Tell me everything. Did it hurt? What did...well you know...it feel like?”

Arianna held up her hand with a laugh. “Down girl….one thing at a time.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You talk to Almodovar yet?” Hunter verbally nudged his friend while stripping the body armor over his head and hanging it in his locker.

Chris, doing much the same just shook his head. He’d undergone quite an appearance change in the last month, well sculpted beard instead of clean shaven and his shaggy blond hair now had a cleaner line, short on the sides and spikey top. The overall look increased the menacing aura of his countenance tenfold when added to the muscled bulk of his body. Only Hunter knew the why of it and when it amused him he roasted his buddy endlessly about girls calling the shots.

The utility suit followed, a toss into the laundry in the corner as the shorter of the two males rummaged till he snagged a clean shirt from the back of the compartment. “We need to head out again, purifier needs parts.” 

Chris dragged blue cotton over his head, back to his partner and giving the man full view of the scratches and a vivid bite on the upper shoulder before tugging the material down. “Rain told me it was having problems again.” 

Hunter stalled while packing the rest of his dirty things in the rec bag. “You still sniffing around that? I thought the new lady was keeping you busy.” Dropping the strap he tapped the shoulder with the vivid circle. “At least it looks like she’s trying to make sure the good citizens of the vault know you’re taken.” Pausing he picked up the bag and moved to head out. “At least I figure that’s why you look like you tangled with a deathclaw.”

Laughing, Chris picked up his own bag. “Still trying to get a name?” Moving out of the security office, he headed towards the general direction of the cafeteria. “I”m starved. Let’s grab something.”

Hunter yanked his bag up in a fist and jogged to catch up. “You’ve been grabbing enough. Maybe a night off and some pool might be a better idea.”

The cafeteria wasn’t too packed, already after dinner hour for most of the residents and those with families often ate in their living quarters. A few tables and a couple booths had occupants, one in particular caught the eye, the overseer’s daughter and Arianna had their heads together over something, conversation either whisper quiet or erratic eruptions of laughter partnered with sly glances. Chris winked as he walked by, Arianna answering with a quick grin, followed by a response to whatever Amata had said before the pair came even with the table. “He’s gonna love it I’m sure. You can’t miss the messages all over, I mean really….procreate it’s your duty and all that….”

The conversation tapered off as they walked by but something struck the taller of the two men, his sudden discomfort causing a bump to another vault resident who dropped his silverware in a melodic crash. Chris glanced back at the two girls with a furrow between his brows but continued to a free table, ordering the usual, synth main with fresh veg from the greenhouse on the lower level. 

Preoccupied, the pair ate without much conversation on his part, desultory at best till Arianna slid her slim body next to Chris with a nudge under the table at Hunter, foot popping him in the thigh with a laugh. “You two are totally giving off the old married couple vibe.” Snagging a tomato off Chris’ plate, she popped it in her mouth and stared them both down with slightly narrowed eyes, giving up with a shrug when the sitch didn’t become apparent and neither men explained one individual’s distraction.

Shoving his plate back, Hunter just shook his head at the pairs antics. Chris though slapped at her hand as she reached towards his half eaten meal a second time. “Go get your own food.” His tone was indulgent though he didn’t look up. 

“Like that stops you from putting your fingers where they don’t belong.” Head dropping, Chris’ shoulders shook with repressed laughter, Hunter lost it much louder, so loud Arianna aimed another kick at him under the table, hopefully at knee level. “Sheesh, mind meets gutter tonight with you two.” Her own comment held a wealth of mirth. She slid a look her lover’s direction, catching blue eyes watching her with a combination of exasperation and affection. 

Letting the fork fall, then like Hunter pushing his half eaten meal off to the side, Chris placed one arm on the table and let the other fall behind Arianna’s back. The move didn’t seem obvious, the fact that pair made contact went unnoticed despite Chris taking liberties under the light grey shirt, caressing the silky skin between bra and waistband with an unconsciously erotic trail of fingers to and fro. The scent of her skin, luxurious texture made other appetites flare to life but the crazy urgency of their first forays into passion had tempered his restraint. Odds were they’d have time later on to finish this prelude with less clothing and perhaps a set of the flex cuffs he’d snagged after Arianna did so well with impromptu clothing restraints. 

For Arianna, the touch made memories crowd in a rush and she wiggled a bit to relieve the pressure between her thighs. A touch flustered and trying to hide it, she propped her chin on her hands, leaning forward to rest elbows on the table and giving that magical hand better access. “So, now that we’ve all tumbled down the perverted rabbit hole, what’s up with you two? Are there problems on the home front? You boys seem a bit tense.”

Hunter watched the pair suspiciously for a moment before relenting. “I think he’s moonlighting with Officer Wolfe. I mean what does he have that I don’t.” The quip delivery came with a grin.

Chris just sighed with a shake of that blond head. “A stopping point.” Shifting his attention to Arianna, he let his hand dip below the waistband for a millisecond before snaking around to her thigh. “You been spending a lot of time with Amata lately.” It was a statement, not a question. 

Arianna shrugged. “Yeah, no training so I’ve got the free time and she’s been extra interested in certain things.” Reaching over, she captured Hunter’s beer and took a swig.

Hunter snatched it back with an affronted stare and drained the inch left in the bottom of the bottle. “Like what?”

Canting her head in Chris’ direction, she went for his beer but the man was too fast, sliding it out of her reach with a playful shake of his head. Arianna stuck her tongue out then snickered. “The usual girl stuff, like how far and how does it feel”

Both men stared in growing disbelief but Chris spoke first. “It? Do I wanna know?”

Hunter shot an accusing glare at his partner, dawning realization beginning but he kept it to himself. “Hopefully you told her it’s small.”

Arianna’s giggles increased as the other male got it, putting his free hand up and covering his eyes with a groan. “Only if she’s asking about you Hunter.”

His partner locked hands behind his head with a touch of swagger. “We can settle this here and now if you….” 

“Enough! You’re killing me.” Gliding out of the booth and managing to snag the hand creeping up to her naughty bits before he made contact, Arianna tugged on Chris and made a swipe at Hunter’s elbow. “You gotta come with me. I wanna show you the parts I need. Last trip the bits you brought were off and Stanley and I had to rig it with junk.”

Hunter popped up like a jack-in-the-box but Chris followed more sedately, happy to catch the rear view of that fine ass as it swayed all the way down to her little hideaway. A couple of taps on her pip-boy screen and they had privacy, a press of thumb on the locks of the desk allowed for access to everything else. Grabbing washed cups and passing them out, Arianna grabbed a small box top off the worktable in the corner and lobbed it at Hunter, using the distraction to snag the nuka-cola out of his hand.. “There, this is what I need. You can take’em if you want, those are the originals that burned out the first time.” The nuka hissed as she popped the top and filled her cup half way before handing it back. Turning to snag her seat, as usual she found someone else’s ass planted there, his come hither wave bringing a sly grin to her face. 

As she dropped into her lover’s waiting arms with a wiggle of her bottom, Arianna tried to look stern but ended up giggling anyway as Chris locked her into his body. “Just don’t lose’em. If I have to make some semblance of a replacement I’ll need’em back.” Her hand lifted to play in the much shorter locks and rub along the bearded jawline with a contented sigh. 

Chris just buried his face in her throat, tilting her head just a touch to get to the silken flesh under her ear. This is what he’d longed for upstairs, to pull her in till heat bled thru clothing and let the unique mix of shampoo and perfume overwhelm anything but enjoyment at her closeness. Ignoring the conversation between the pair, he mulled over the tidbit of conversation and a huge, glaring oversight on his part. Contraception. How he’d forgotten it with her and not every other female he’d lain with just mystified him. Even now, had she dropped a pregnancy bombshell on him this moment, the reaction would be less panic and more hurrah since it meant threat of separation would evaporate, sealing them as a couple. In over his head, Chris reluctantly accepted that he’d found something he was unwilling to give up. 

Meanwhile, the conversation between Hunter and Arianna had shifted to weapons and when Chris finally tuned back in, his stomach dropped. 

“You have a laser pistol. Get the fuck out.” Arianna was reaching for the scotch at the corner of the desk with a slightly pleading smile. “Bring it down here. I wanna see.”

Hunter grunted and made a play for the bottle, failing as Chris snagged it with a ‘no’ that was meant for Arianna. “I agree with Chris, no way am I gonna get caught with that kinda contraband.” Finally connecting with the neck of the bottle, he managed to pour two fingers before handing it back to his partner. 

Sitting up, bottom more firmly pressed to an already semi-erect shaft, her tone took on a wheedling air. “Come on, I promise to behave if you do.” At the negative shake of his head, her eyes narrowed as the smile became a touch more calculating. “I’ve got Fancy Lad’s down here…..” She paused for effect. “Chocolate.”

The cup stopped halfway to Hunter’s mouth. “They made chocolate?”

Arianna nodded and leaned back. “Oh yeah. I’ll hook you up if you go get it and bring it down here.” 

Chris’ sigh had a mournful edge. “Dammit Rain. You can’t keep bribing him with food. Hunter just stay here.”

He’d been so quiet, nestled against her with the soft waft of breath against the line of her throat. This was where she loved to be, just next to him, feeling warmth and strength radiating along every plane of contact. It reminded her of her dad in some ways, the safety, knowledge that no matter what, somehow he’d be there for her. It had gone farther than the seduction she’d planned, the two of them finding a kindred spirit in the cold walls that surrounded them, a place both light and dark where, so far, nothing was taboo except being apart for too long. Arianna craved him now, his touch, his presence and playfulness when they could catch a few moments alone. 

And she knew, despite his comment, he’d probably do nothing to interfere with how things were going so she half turned and kissed him, carnal and affectionate at the same time. “Yes I can, besides they say the way to a man's heart is thru his stomach”

Hunter was having an epiphany of his own, comprehending in a second that the ‘mysterious’ other woman didn’t exist, it had been Chris’ way of backing his partner off the nag train. It was the lithe teen in his buddy’s lap who’d been marking him up the entire time. Hell, maybe the bribe would be worth the explosion when it all came to light. “Chris, not asking for your opinion. Raina what’s the way to his heart?”

Arianna grinned and gave Chris a arch stare, daring him to ‘fess up.

Holding up a hand before either could speak, Hunter shook his head. “No, just don’t answer. That’s too much information. I’d like to pretend I had no idea when the shit hits the fan.” The cup went down with a bang. “Back in a few.”

Squealing with excitement, Ari jumped up and started yanking on Chris’ arm. “Come on, I gotta go grab payment. You can boost me up.” Shifting her attention to Hunter, she pointed down the hallway. “If we’re not here, head to storage.”

“You can’t get to storage from here.” Chris had given up trying to curtail her, just standing like a weary old man who could hear the alarms ringing already.

She just snorted. “Yeah you can. It’s called maintenance tunnels. Hurry Hunter!” Catching his vibe, Arianna spun on her heel and shoved her fingers into the waistband of his pants, dragging him close and reaching up to press a kiss to his mouth, letting it dip into carnal territory for an instant before dropping back to petite stature once again. “Come on. I promise it won’t kill you.”

Grabbing hold of that thick plait of hair down her back, Chris pulled her into his arms and lifted till her feet no long touched the pitted concrete floor. “Why does that sound ominous?” Her ass hit the work table at the same instant his lips devoured hers, all teeth and tongues and a barrage of longing that made her knees weak.

When he finally came up for air, it took a moment for Arianna to gather what was left of her wits. “Dad’s holed up in the lab with Jonas tonight.” Blurted out with absolutely no finesse, the one tell of her youth.

Chris chuckled and set her on her feet, thumb grazing a kiss swollen bottom lip while his avid gaze left no doubt as to the hunger burning deep within. “You know where I’ll be.” 

It took a step back for her to regain her composure but her flushed face and reddened lips gave it all away. An unholy lust burned in the depths of those mahogany eyes, eyelids dipping as that mouth began to curve. “Mmm, inside me.” The breathy comment, gleam under sooty lashes all meant to get him back for the distraction as she danced out of his grip. This made all the work totally worth it, the playful back and forth, the banked sense of urgency as each touch built on the last till they reached the breaking point. They had a ways to go before alone time so Arianna was going to make the most of it. 

“Come on.” No hesitation as, with fingers linked, she guided him further down into the reactor levels, splashing through standing water here and there but other than the hum of the vault, nothing stirred. 

A final archway spit them out in the corridor right outside storage and with a couple flicks of her fingers, Ari left a pip-boy trail for Hunter while Chris wrenched the wheel lock on the door. “Damn, I’m surprised you can open this.”

Arianna giggled. “Haven’t been able to for months. Figured if I had brawn it’d make short work of it.” 

He stood back, muscles bunched and shook his head with a chuckle. “That all I am to you?” 

Slipping past, she managed to give his ass a swat, still laughing. “No, you are everything Chris. But it does have some perks.”

Chris snatched her arm, spinning her around to face him, face bemused. “Every time I think I have you figured out, you do it again.” Inexorably he pulled her into his arms, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. “Not sure if you’re going to drive me crazy but you’re stuck with me.”

Arianna relented and melted into that warm embrace, hiding a grin in his shirt front. “Good.” The softly spoken word was muffled by his shirt. A second or two and she began to squirm. “Come on…...let’s go. I wanna get my hands on that pistol.”

Pushing him back and dragging his hand into hers in a single move, she led him deeper into the storage compartment though that word was a misnomer. The area was a massive warehouse, three tier shelves that were close to two stories high for as far as the eyes could see. Once they were probably solid with supplies and food storage but now they were an intricate maze of smaller lots, pallets scattered with what was obviously dwindling rations. Arianna moved into the cavernous space like she owned it, Chris hung back with obvious reluctance. “Rain, how is Hunter gonna find us in here? And how do you not get lost?”

Rolling her eyes, she just kept pulling. “It’s like hide and seek, grown-up level. He can use his pip-boy remember?” Laughing and letting his hand drop, Arianna took off at a jog, disappearing around a corner. “Come on.”

Growling something derogatory under his breath, Chris took off after her, following the giggles till he rounded a corner and found her looking up at a section of shelving with a slight frown. “Hmm...I think this is where they are.” Her head swiveled and gleaming eyes bright with amusement pinned him . “Gimme a boost.”

He just stood there for a moment, arms crossed and a smirk on his face. “And if I don’t?”

Arianna cocked an eyebrow and put a hand on one of the side rails. “Then I do it the usual way.” He sighed but put out cupped hands, low enough for her to step on them. One toss and she was on the second shelf. Didn’t take another minute before she’d shinnied up to the third rail, looking around then calling down. “Fuck, I’m off. I think they’re over on the right.” 

Loping down the long unit, she turned at the last moment and sailed over the narrow walkway to the shelving of the next row and disappeared before her leap even registered to her man. 

“Damn, she’s like a little spider monkey isn’t she.” Hunter spoke from behind him, taking a swig from the scotch bottle he’d grabbed on the way back and handing it to his partner.

Chris frowned and walked a few feet away, trying to gauge just where she’d disappeared to. “It amazes me you don’t remember basic physics from our classes but spider monkeys become a cultural reference.” He drank but didn’t hand the bottle back. 

Snagging it back anyway, Hunter shrugged. “What’s important to you…..” He left the rest of the sentence open. “And while we’re on that, when were you gonna tell me she’s the one you’re fucking?”

The pair had been friends for a long time, schoolboys attached at the hip for as long as anyone in the vault could remember but the look Chris had when he turned had a feral edge. “When you needed to know…” He paused, blue eyes glacial. “And don’t use that word again when it comes to Rain.”

Hunter couldn’t have looked more shocked. Fingers swept already unruly waves into a bigger mess as he dropped his head for a moment. “You’re right. I’m sorry. It’s just I figured she’s like the others…” 

Chris cut him off. ‘No, and you of all people should know that.”

A sharp whistle from above made both men crane their necks upward and on the opposite side of where she’d started. “Man, it’s all tense and edgy down there.” Brown eyes fixed on Hunter, indicating the three boxes under her arm with a wave of her hand. “You got it?”

From under his shirt, Hunter pulled the laser pistol and waved it at her. “Of course.”

Arianna pursed her lips. “Energy cells too?”

He gave a sigh of defeat and fished the cells out of his pants pocket holding them up for inspection. “Dammit. Yes.”

With a dip and a roll, Arianna swung one armed down to the second level and sat, boxes neatly stacked at her hip and out of reach of both men.   
‘Okay, I’ll agree with monkey.” Chris’ comment held amusement but there was a wary stillness to his posture. Something was up.

She held out her hand, playful smile with a wicked edge on her face. “Cells first, then the pistol.”

Chris said no the same time Hunter started to pass them up. “Hunter, what the hell.” He tried to block the delivery but his buddy had already relinquished both. “Are you crazy?”

Tossing the three boxes down, she set the cells on her thigh and turned the pistol over in her hands, exploring with a delicate touch and sharp eyes, ignoring the men below her. When Hunter grumbled about one of the boxes being opened, she responded a bit absentmindedly. “Well yeah, not like you’re gonna let me keep it.”

Pulling a snack cake out, he tucked one in his partner’s pocket and fished another out, putting the remaining ones on a crate of cans and peeling open the cellophane with a deep sniff. “Oh god these smell amazing.” Taking a bite, Hunter moaned around a mouthful of chocolate cake and cream filling. “This is almost enough to make me give it up.”

“You’re right, he’s not going to let you keep it.” Chris sounded disgruntled but watching her from below, fascination tempered the irritation. Her expressions, the keen focus on what lay in her hands was enthralling and he knew she’d make short work of figuring it out. “Come on down Rain.”

Muttering “Cool” under her breath, she popped open the battery compartment and pushed the energy cells home, oooing over the light display as it powered up. “In a minute.” Pushing up and into a crouch, Arianna swivelled on her heel and aimed for a full pallet of boxes at the end of the aisle. Two quick pulls on the trigger and smoldering holes appeared. 

“RAIN! Enough!” Chris shouted and it echoed in the huge space, bringing her attention for a moment, confusion evident. 

Looking back from the boxes to Chris to the boxes again, she snickered. “Don’t stress. Those are dehydrated carrots. We haven’t touched those for a decade. Come on, let’s go test this out.” With that she turned and disappeared, bobbing and weaving between piles of necessities and leaping from one unit to the next like a cat.

“Shit.” A terse snarl and Chris was on the move right after her, Hunter looking up with his second cake in hand with confusion, breaking into a run as the other man also dipped out of sight.

It was hard to keep up, Arianna’s knowledge of the layout putting the men at a disadvantage. A couple wrong turns and Chris halted to get his bearings when he heard a familiar hissing. Force of habit had the security officers grabbing for non-existent weapons and swearing before Hunter yelled out in panic. “Raina, get back here with that weapon.”

All they heard after that was the rapid fire sizzle of the pistol, then silence. Appearing above them next to a stack of huge cans, Arianna dropped down and handed the gun back to Hunter with a quick hug. “This is awesome, but the sights are off, a smidgen to the left.” 

Elation faded to confusion as she looked from one face to the next. “What? You guys missed a few.”

Shoving past her Chris found the trio of radroaches, all dead and the accuracy of the shots impressive to say the least considering her age and lack of training. Hunter spoke first. “Damn, you’re a hell of a shot.”

Chris looked resigned and slightly irritated. “Your father again?”

Nodding, she sidled up to the bigger male and wound her arm around his waist, tucking her head on his bicep with brows drawn together. “Yeah, airgun for my 10th. Been practicing ever since, well practicing when I can get more BB’s. There’s always a few roaches down here. Stanley and I rigged up some of the wrenches with Ecells so they pack an electric wallop and I can save ammo.”

At least Hunter looked impressed. “Maybe you should go into security. You’re a better shot than half our guys.”

Arianna snorted with laughter. “As if. That’s why it’ll never happen. Iron ass wouldn’t like a girl making his security boys look like a buncha bitches.”

Hunter looked mildly insulted but Chris sighed and relented, pulling her into the circle of his arms and locking her into his body. “Where do you practice?”

“Oh, dad set up a shooting range for me, right on this level.” Again it was a game of follow the leader, Hunter running back for his boxes before the three made their way to the narrow room just off the reactor main. Pushing open the door, the cramped, long room had spinning targets set up on one end with a bookcase and some pillows on the other. Gone were the boxes from that tenth birthday. The air rifle sat on top of the shelving unit which was full of thick books and an entire shelf of comics. Hunter cooed and headed that direction. “Hubris comics. Oh man, Raina how did you get all these.”

Chris snagged the back of Hunter’s shirt and started pulling in the opposite direction. “It’s too late for this. Let’s go before anyone misses the three of us.” He gave the man a little shove towards his pile of snack cake boxes. “Get your contraband.”

The three made their way back to the upper levels in silence, two mulling over the events of the evening, one pondering just what lay in store for the rest of her night. Already after eleven, most vault residents were abed and thanks to Arianna’s modifications, they evaded security till Hunter peeled off to make his way to bed and Chris and Ari ended up in his quarters.

Closing the door, Chris engaged the privacy screen and turned to face the slender girl on his sofa. “So, tonight we’re going to learn about safe words.” 

She returned his slight smile with a sly grin of her own. “Sounds interesting.”


	13. Beginning of the End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arianna and Chris have taken the final step but threats and the growing instability around them threaten the pair at every turn. 
> 
>  
> 
> Author note: I love the series and have left much unexplained since it's in the game. Rations of food and liquor, overseer edicts and the like are assumed knowledge but anyone wants a short bullet list by all means give me a poke. 
> 
> Also, this started as an erotic fiction with a bucketload more sex and forbidden kink so some of the tensions and comments between all characters are a hint at what could have been.

There was little sound in the small set of rooms, just a whirr of the fans and the occasional odd, nearly subliminal noise of the headphones in Arianna’s ears. Head down over a book, feet bouncing in time to whatever she was listening too, she looked younger than her soon to be seventeen years as she sprawled on her bed in a tank and sleep shorts. Long legs gleamed a dusky gold in the dim light as her father observed for a moment, amazed that this was his child. When had she grown-up this much, so much like her mother it brought her loss up in an ache that never seemed to lessen. In fact it got worse as she grew, as she began drifting farther afield and so subtly that James hadn’t realized till now.

Knocking on the doorjamb, he slipped in and sat next to her on the bed, fingers tucking her hair back on one side so he could see her profile. 

Wide eyes looked up at the touch, their depths filled with warmth when they saw who it was. “Hey dad. You done in the lab early tonight.” Her fingers dropped the earbud onto her book, then snagged his hand to rub her cheek on it. “Everything okay?”

“We ran the one round of tests and figured the next one could wait till morning.” Leaning in a bit, he peered at the book with a growing look of surprise. “Population Genetics? Do I want to know?”

Arianna laughed and shook her head. “I hear that all the time. You probably don’t want to know. I think I’ve tapped all the other books in the vault library, figured it was time to finish off the textbook section.”

Ruffling her hair, her comment brought a more serious expression. “Arianna, about those two men you spend time with….”

She cut him off with an upraised hand, swinging feet around so she sat cross legged on the bed next to him. “Come on, dad, not again. We’ve gone over this about a dozen times.” 

James nodded and grabbed the hand, closing his fingers around it so she couldn’t pull free. “And I’m still not sure it’s the best thing for you darling. There are others your own age…”

“Like Trent?” Arianna snorted in irritation. “Dumb ass grinding his pelvis into my ass at every opportunity? Ooo, or Wally, Paul Jr. or maybe Butch? The choices are….” She looked around, needing inspiration and fell on the text. “They’re genetically thin on the ground and you know it. Both Chris and Hunter are different. They don’t care that I’m nerdy or bored with things that most of the residents find enthralling….” She paused while her father listened intently. “They just accept me as me. Like you do, and Stanley and Jonas and Amata…” Her voice trailed off.

Sighing, he pulled his daughter into his arms, cradling her like he had when she was younger. It had been a long time since they just sat down and spent time together that wasn’t in a lab or over a hurried meal so he could get back to work as soon as possible. Realization began to dawn, late but clear. James left her to her own devices much too often and while the independence and capable way she handled things had always impressed him, it left her with gaps in her learning that had nothing to do with intelligence and much too much free time. “I’m sorry sweetheart. I let you muddle through too much on your own. You struggling now is because I didn’t do my job as a father. I should have spent more time with you. We should do more together…...”

Leaning back, she halted the flow of words to place a kiss on his chin, affection in the expression and tight hug bestowed on him. “Daddy, you did fine. I’m just a little different then the other girls. And you have to admit, way less annoying.”

James relished the closeness, cuddling her a bit tighter before reluctantly releasing her with a chuckle. “Yes, less annoying.” He kissed her one last time before standing and walking towards the exit, stopping at the door with an ironic smile. “You did it again, distraction and redirection.”

Back on her stomach, Arianna grinned back at him. “Yeah, you know for a super smart doctor type you do fall for it on a regular.” Pausing before tucking the earbud back in, she favored him with a loving smirk. “Love you daddy.”

“I love you too Arianna.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Still mulling over the conversation, Arianna sat across from Amata in the lounge in the upper atrium, same book open and her tablet full of calculations. Her friend basically ignored her while giving Alice Simpson serious side eye as the woman dared approach her current crush. “Can you believe the way she’s hanging all over Trent? My god I never realized lack of love from your parents left you with a hole in the heart only dicks could fill.”

Arianna looked up with a wide-eyed stare before busting out in a giggle fit. “Damn girl, that was savage as hell.” Glancing over at the offending pair, she lifted a shoulder. “You got everything and that woman has a…”

“Vagina you could drive thru.” Amata’s sour look faded as a grin started to peek out. “Just cause you got yours tucked away nice and content doesn’t mean the rest of us do. Where is tall, blond and cranky by the way?”

It was Arianna’s turn to make a face. “Your dad put him and Hunter on duty. On my birthday no less.” She would have went on but Paul, Wally and Butch appeared from the pool tables and slid into the booth on both sides, effectively trapping the girls.

Wally stared at Arianna, looking down at her work with a frown. “What are you up to Rainey?”

His question had a sneering edge that Amata took affront to. “She doesn’t have the time or the crayons to explain it to you Wally. Why don’t you and your friends wander off and annoy some other resident?” 

Wally glowered and leaned in so close that Amata could see the fine hairs on his upper lip, first attempt at a mustache. Before she could continue, Arianna jumped in and pointed to Butch. “Yeah Wally, save your breath, you’re gonna need it to blow your date.”

None of them saw the two blue uniforms a few feet away, half shielded by the plant life that grew so abundantly in the climate controlled main area. Chris had stopped the moment the three boys approached the table but Hunter had halted any other progress. Two reasons, he doubted if Chris got his back up that he’d back down without leaving someone bloody and in all honesty, both girls seemed capable enough to deal without starting a big dust up. Right now he leaned into one of the waist high planters, trying to muffle the laughter at the two girls cutting barbs while his partner just pinched the bridge of his nose with a long, suffering sigh.

Butch meanwhile finally muddled through the fast barrage of comments to Arianna’s gibe with a threatening growl. “Your mouth is gonna get you in deep shit one of these days bitch so I’d…”

Arianna laid her stylus down carefully and shifted to she looked Butch dead in the eye. “You’d what? Listen Butch, acting like a dick isn’t gonna make yours any bigger so just drop the pretense. A word of advice though, well, actually two…” Those brown eyes narrowed in anger. “First, sometimes it’s better to keep your mouth shut and give the impression that you’re stupid than open it and remove all doubt. Second, you really think round three is gonna end any better than the first two?” 

He looked affronted, fury darkening his expression. “Why you little cunt…” While Amata smothered a round of hilarity with her hand, Butch was already reaching for Arianna, going for her wrist but not making it far as a much larger hand descended and yanked him out of the booth. He careened off a nearby table and sent a pair of chairs to the floor with a jarring crash to land at Hunter’s feet. 

Chris stood between the table and the male on the floor, thunderous countenance and menacing stance of all six plus feet. No words through the clenched jaw, rage with a dangerous edge gleaming in the bright blue eyes as he stood with hands loose, warring with the urge to pound on the face staring up till it ceased to have form. Never had he danced this close with violence, the ferocity barely contained wasn’t telegraphed in word but in a dangerous stillness. One wrong move and it would unleash the storm.

“Oh shit.” Amata whispered, wide-eyed. Arianna starting to slide out of the booth till Hunter’s upraised hand forestalled her. No one else moved, even Butch’s little gang brothers sat frozen in hopes this security detail didn’t turn attention in their direction. Tension so thick you could cut it held everyone in its grip till Hunter motioned for the other Tunnel Snakes to vacate their seats. “I think it’s time for the Snakes to take their leave for the rest of the evening. How does confined to quarters till tomorrow morning work detail sound?”

Keying in the code for a security feed on his pip-boy, Hunter relayed his decision to Hanlon. “Officer O’Brian reporting a problem from main rec. I’ve got Butch and two of his boys harassing Amata and the Doc’s daughter. Notify all security details they’re confined to quarters until morning.” 

Lowering his arm, he waved at the three males to move. “Now’s your chance, before he decides to start removing body parts.” They scrambled and disappeared but not before Butch leveled a fulmative glare in Arianna’s direction.

Silent and statue still save for a head swivel, Chris watched them leave before turning to the two girls in the booth, both looking stunned but just as mute as he finally was impelled to move. Where Butch had missed the mark, he didn’t. Chris’ hand seized her wrist, yanking hard till she was forced to slide out of her seat, dragging Arianna up till they were nose to nose. 

“Hey!” Protesting and pulling against the fierce grip, she stilled as their gazes locked and swallowed heavily, barely whispering ‘pickle’ softly with eyes that seemed brighter then they had been a second ago. Chris loosened his grip, remorse in the lines of his face as he murmured something just as quietly in her ear, then led her off to the opposite side of the atrium, closed off from prying eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Behind them Amata and Hunter watched, transfixed by the back and forth and unsure of just how to react. Amata did jab at him when Chris leaned down and she gave the other security officer a sideways glance. “You ever wanna join in? I mean they’re both sexy as hell.” 

Hunter blinked, appalled by the question and it showed on his face. “What...what? Like sex? I….” He stumbled around for a second, missing the second comment from Chris. “No, do you see yourself…” Before she had a chance to respond, he waved his hand. “Nope, nope don’t even answer that. I’m already in over my head with them. I don’t need your father coming after me too.” 

As Chris pulled Arianna off, Amata started to slide out of the booth in pursuit when Hunter cut her off. “Oh no Ms. Almodovar, I’m going to have to ask you to perhaps ponder returning to your quarters.”

Amata stared at Hunter, face set in mulish lines. “Oh hell no, you know I’m not gonna let my girl get dragged off when her man is in a killing mood.”

Laying a firm hand on her shoulder, Hunter began to firmly guide her in the opposite direction. “I think we’d all appreciate if you’d keep the ‘her man’ thing to yourself. That’s something both of them are trying to keep under wraps.” 

When she fought him and tried to pull back, he brought the other hand to bear. “Listen, Amata. If I thought there was any chance Chris would lay a finger on her I’d be right behind him to keep it frosty but he won’t hurt her, I promise you. It’s just you both need to watch out for Butch and his buddies.”

Brown eyes flashed in annoyance. “You don’t think I know that? Rainey’s always running game on them and I’ve told her to back it off. If you boys in blue would just bust a kneecap or two they lot of them would scurry back in the holes they crawled out of.” 

Hunter let her go, running his fingers through his hair, spiking it all different directions. “We don’t do things that way.”

Amata snorted in disbelief but relented and turned to head back over to the admin level. “You two might not but the rest of security ain’t got issues with dispensing pain.” The comment got tossed over a shoulder as she disappeared. 

Making sure she made it to safe corridors before turning, Hunter gave Chris five before moving after the pair. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chris regained his equilibrium as they walked, him half dragging a reluctant female behind him and feeling like shit in the interim. Her whispered use of their safe word brought the realization of just how far gone he’d been when Butch went flying after his casual toss. He didn’t want to be the one scaring her, he’d wanted her to understand just how precarious things were with so many emotions running high throughout the vault. 

Stopping where no-one below or on the same level could see without being seen, he posted her up on a wide ledge around one of the tree groupings. Cupping her face in those wide palms, Chris kissed her first, a gentle exploration that left that plump mouth to find the pulse right under the ear where he murmured softly. “Rain, you need to stop reminding a few people of just how underachieving they are. You’re poking people who have no issues in using force to make their will reality.”

When he leaned back, her cinnamon streaked eyes held a fiery heat. It had been bad enough that the entire situation with Butch had slipped out of control but to be reprimanded for defending herself and a friend infuriated her. Her fear at Chris’ reaction faded as ire rose. “It’s acceptable for him to be a bully and an ass and not for me to point it out? Or to have to back down when some jerk decides I need to be brought down a peg or two?” The flat of her palms smacked the armor on his chest, a pop that echoed in the vast empty area above the main floor. “You cannot be serious.”

Grabbing for the line of her jaw, the pressure was steady but firm, holding Arianna pinned as his relentless gaze probed the lines of her face. “I am. You’ve had the run of this place for years with little thought to the consequences of your actions from the sheer fact NOT...ONE....PERSON had a clue what you’ve been up to. They’re still in the dark but so much is going on that you know nothing about and that alone puts a target on your back.” Chris made each point with a very rough jerk of her chin before his hands slipped to her upper arms, a vice like grip with bruising strength. “I don’t know if I can keep you safe Rain and that scares the hell out of me. Promise me you’ll tone it down.”

After struggling a moment against Chris’ goliath grip, Arianna stilled but her mouth still held a mulish line. “Funny thing about bullies, most times when you roll over they keep coming back. Once they get kicked in the teeth they wander off to find weaker people to torment.”

Tension in every muscle, he was hard pressed to keep his mouth shut as Hunter rounded the corner and stopped a few feet from the tableau. He looked from Chris to Arianna and back again. “You two get things figured out?””

Taking advantage of the distraction, Arianna gave a twist and pull and managed to shake her lover’s steely grip. “Yes, roll over and take it is his sage advice.”

She got three steps from the two males and stopped, spinning to stare Chris down. “I’m sorry. Taking that bullshit is unacceptable.” With that she too disappeared much like Amata but in different directions, her quarters on a less lofty level.

Hunter watched her leave then gave his partner a sideways glance. “So, what happened?”

Chris exhaled, weary cast to face and posture. “Trying to reason with her is like trying to get a deathclaw to play nice.”

“Pissing into the wind hmm?” Hunter tried not to let amusement color his comment or features. Seriously he was shocked Chris hadn’t seen this coming from the get go. 

“Yes.” Hunter’s attempt at keeping a straight face apparently failed as his partner’s incensed gaze shifted. “You find this funny?”

The other man shrugged. “Yeah. The girl doesn’t listen to her father, what makes you think she’s gonna listen to you? I think I’d rather face a deathclaw then try and stop Raina. It’s like throwing yourself in front of a tank, you’re just gonna get run over.”

Chris grunted in annoyance. “Then I’m just gonna have to make her.” With a spin on a booted foot, he turned to get back to their rounds.

Hunter trailed behind. “You keep me up on how that goes. I’d lay a months rations you’re pulling out what little hair you got left by the end of the week.” 

Despite the grumpy mood, Chris looked over a shoulder, ghost of a smile on his lips. “Probably. I knew it wouldn’t be easy but damn.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An hour later, Hunter turned a corner and whistled softly, glancing over at his lagging partner with a sly grin. “Man oh man are you not gonna like this.”

Chris came up from behind and stared. Amata and Arianna were coming down the hallway, laughing and nudging one another as only girls could seem to do and make it look sexy as hell. Much like Amata’s party night, they had put together outfits that both stood out and complemented each other, Amata in a sheer red, high necked shirt with cami underneath and a black skirt that clung to hip and thigh, Arianna in all sheer black, gifting everyone with a view of lush curves that proved both girls were well into the ‘adult’ part of their growth. Even the jeans Arianna wore tucked into the workboots looked like she’d outgrown them a few years back, so tight all you saw was a fine ass that switched with every step. 

When the girls noticed the security officer they halted, striking a confrontational pose till Hunter and Chris were within speaking distance. “Final walkthrough before the party? You guys are going to swing by right?” Amata crossed her arms and waited to hear the reply with an eyebrow tilted up into her artfully styled bangs.

Hunter just stared at Amata for a second then shook his head. “Two words, on duty.” 

Chris looked both girls up and down once but his gazes lingered on Arianna, cataloging every inch of that succulent body and imaging just what he’d do later. “And the clothes?” He had a bearish attitude. “I can’t believe either of your fathers approved these.”

“Grandma Taylor. She’s got some amazing stuff.” Amata piped up first.

Arianna met Chris’ blue eyes with her own, lips in an impish curl. “Yeah, she’s got some cool stories too.” It was a secret to most that Agnes Taylor had been the go between for the vault and Megaton before Overseer Almodovar took over but as usual one person who shouldn’t know got the goods and started up conversations when she could. Now the two girls and Grandma were fast friends. 

“I probably don’t want to know.” The timbre of Chris’ voice had a weary edge. “You still have time…” 

Cutting him off, Arianna approached and patted him on the body armor. “Time to change. Nah, this is good.” Giving a model turn on those boots gave her boy a glimpse of every single inch of her in the skin tight outfit, drool worthy on every level. “Don’t you think.” She knew inside he was frothing at the mouth but couldn’t resist the tease. 

“Rain…” Her name rumbled in his chest as he took a step past Hunter to place himself directly in front of her, leaning down till his lips touched the soft whorl of her ear. “You’re not too old to be put over a knee.” 

She couldn’t help the fit of giggles that kept her from replying for a second or two. Finally able to breath, it was her turn to go up on tiptoe, fingers curled into the edges of his armor near the shoulders for balance and to drag him close enough that her whispered response was for him only. “No but I suspect it would be better if I was bent over something else.” 

Dropping back to her diminutive height, Arianna made a move to turn but Chris thwarted her escape with a hand around her bicep. “Keep it up.” Warning or promise, it could be both or neither but just the way he spoke made her shiver with a mix of fear and longing, the same emotions gleaming in the cinnamon streaked depths of her eyes. 

“For what?” Arianna queried, unholy amusement so obvious even Hunter couldn’t miss it.

Capturing her mouth for a lightning fast kiss, Chris didn’t respond and turned to start back down the hallway, a very confused Hunter following in his wake. 

Amata watched the pair retreat then slid her friend a mischievous grin. “You ever need help with that man…” 

Laughing, the shorter of the pair began to drag her friend towards the lounge. “Hell no girl. I love you much but you know I have to be center of attention.” 

“You’d ask….Hunter?” Speculation and no small amount of illicit thrill lit the depths of Amata’s expression. 

“Yeah. Between us I do adore them both.” Arianna linked arms and kept pulling. “But Chris is a bit on the possessive side so I doubt it’ll go.”

Letting herself be led, Amata chortled with amusement. “You think?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The party wasn’t as over the top as Amata’s. Amata didn’t have the resources and Arianna knew that you didn’t outshine the bosses daughter so while location and music were the same the rest was a bit more...relaxed. Without the Overseer hanging around, the vibe was a bit more wild too, something the two guards across the atrium could attest to.

“Bet you wish you had that bottle of scotch now.” Hunter muttered with no small amount of humor.

Chris just groused in response. “Or that Trent would have a fatal accident.”

Across the way, Arianna turned and shoved the aforementioned asshole back a foot or two, Amata grinding on another boy and missing it all. A fierce exchange of whispers and Trent backed up with hands raised, panicked look starting to appear as Arianna strode off. 

Hunter chuckled. “I do think he’s taken the hint.” 

“Thank god, cornering that bastard and beating the message into him was looking way too attractive.” Glancing at his pip-boy, Chris gave a sigh of relief. “Finally.” 

Signing himself off, he gave Hunter an elbow to the ribs. “End of shift, let's get the fuck out of here.” If he was honest with himself, he’d admit that much like the other party, watching Arianna move and interact with her own age made him uncomfortable. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

End of shift came and went. Arianna searched the outer rim of the Atrium from time to time but after an hour, it was evident she’d been stood up. A glance over her shoulder at the still ramped up crowd left her flat so with a nod to Amata from across the lounge, she jerked her head towards the door and slipped away. No problem if anyone wandered by, you couldn’t see who was who in the crush anyway. A quick stop in Stanley’s upper level supply closet to hit one of her smaller stashes before heading to the lower level living quarters with a destination already in mind.

Chris had hung a bit with Hunter, basically lamenting the lack of entertainment while polishing off the last half of a bottle of scotch before the other man took his slightly unsteady leave. Sprawled on the sofa, last inch in the bottom of a glass dangling in his hand, he didn’t look up when the door opened, a slight wry twist of the mouth was the only sign he’d noticed. 

Leaning against the door, bottle of wine in one hand, Arianna scanned expression first before letting her gaze wander over the shirtless torso and barely covered hips. Lip in teeth to hide a giggle, she walked forward and set the cabernet on the table before sliding into the chair across from him, striking a pose herself with a leg over one arm of it, bobbing lazily. “You usually relax in a towel? This is new.”

Shooting a glance her way, there was a second of hesitation as he took in the clothing change, cami gone in favor of a black bra, sheer top now revealing mounded cleavage and a bare midriff, gleam of something shiny in her belly button. “You usually run around half naked? New look as well.” Reaching out to snag the bottle, he studied the label before waving it in her direction. “I take it this is also from some secret hidey hole?” He had to stop looking at her before the draped towel became a tent. 

You could almost read the calculations in her mind as Arianna stared and processed before she swung that leg down and stood with a fluid grace. A few steps took her to his side, forcing him to lean back and meet her stare. And it didn’t stop there, the slim girl leaned down till her hands found purchase on his thighs, dark hair snaking in cool tendrils across that expanse of muscled chest. “Yes to both. Are you still angry? Cause you can’t be. It’s my birthday and I refuse to let you stay that way.”

Chuckling, Chris let the bottle of wine fall onto the cushion to the left and slid a hand up to tangle in those silky strands to cup the back of her head, capturing her. “Most overworked brain in the vault and that’s all you came up with?” The pull on her was incessant till lips were a hair's breadth away. “Because you said so?”

A slowly widening smile was her only response before mouths met in a carnal kiss, tongues tangling while both parties remained still, as if a single move would break the spell. When they came up for air, Arianna gifted him with the most delicious grin. “No, because I adore you and refuse to let this go any further.” 

Merriment faded as her words sunk in, Chris’ expression contemplative. “Tell me how you’re going to distract me.”

Cocking a brow, Arianna straightened and removed her pip-boy, tossing it on the side table and dimming the ambient lights at the same time. The tones of the side lamps were warmer, bathing her skin in a golden light as she sat to kick off boots and shimmy her pants off with a lissome wiggle. The scrap of a shirt followed, leaving nothing but black panties and that lacy bra as her only covering. “I’m going to put all my budding skills to work.” 

She made a move to crawl on his lap before he held up a hand. “All of it.” Her head tilted quizzically. “Take it all off beautiful. I want to see all of you.” When she seemed to hesitate, Chris shifted and let the towel edge fall to the side, exposing a bare hip. Watching her face, the shift from nervous to longing amazed him every time. The one thing that had staggered him from the first touch was her absolute acceptance of her own erotic drives and needs and the willingness to go the distance to feed them. As natural as breathing, Arianna never hesitated more than a moment or two, just like now. 

Just a tinge of shyness as both bra and panties got tossed into the same chair that held her clothes but she stood straight, letting him drink in every succulent inch. Much like her need telegraphed on her face, his appetites, that male streak of possession lay bare to her and made her stand a little straighter. All Chris had to do was wave a hand and she moved, crawling over his body to settle in his lap. The towel shifted so bare bottom met most of his erection, skin hotter and softer and wringing a soft whimper from her as she draped her curves over his firm body and wrapped her arms around his neck. 

As soon as skin met skin, all things wrong with the night faded and he trapped her in a bearish hug, brawny arms tightening till he could feel her heart against his own. “You’re exquisite. Every inch of you.” 

Her head came up, nuzzling the underside of his chin and throat with little nips of her teeth. “So are you.” When the grip loosened enough she gave a shimmy and seated the head of his shaft at the entrance to her body, already slick with want. Knees on either side of his hips, feet on his thighs for balance gave her control as lashes fluttered shut, expression one of delight as the undulations of a dancer nestling him inch by slow inch into the velvet heat of her channel till the tip of him bumped her cervix, wringing another moan of delight. Knees on either side of his hips, feet on his thighs for balance

Eyes narrowed, holding onto control by a thread, Chris watched every aspect of Arianna’s countenance as she enveloped him. Only when fully enrobed in her core did fingers grip her hips, guiding her in slow circles that incorporated friction on every millimeter of her slit. It didn’t take long to drive her to the point of release, her body suddenly taut in his grasp. Stilling her movements, one hand reached up and pulled her upper body close enough to whisper in a whorled ear. “Breathe gorgeous. You’re not getting off that easy tonight.” Neither was he. If Chris was honest and been willing to confess, her release would have driven him over the edge and he wasn’t even close to being done with her tonight. Now though was more about control.

Hands filled with her round ass, he stood, driving even deeper into her and wringing a groan from the lush female in his arms. Once again, he kicked the door shut behind them, laying her gently on the bed and flex cuffing her wrists to headboard. Looking down at her, soaking in the flushed skin, deliciously round curves and slightly parted legs to keep the pleasure from taking over, the feeling of loving possession nearly overwhelmed him. Kneeling near her side, unselfconsciously naked with an erection that twitched with every heartbeat, Chris let fingers drift from rosy nipples standing at attention down to the gleam of crystal in her belly button. “You and Amata get bored?” While he waited for her answer, those questing digits went even further, combing gently thru damp curls to plunge into her honeyed canal, teasing the nub there with a thumb while fucking her tenderly. 

Arianna had remained still while he explored, trying to stave off the rush of need that just looking at him brought on. Bad enough on a normal day but being this close to exploding and just the sight of him naked and aroused made her folds wetter. It took a moment to focus on the question, the magic of the hand between her thighs making the answer fade and a whimper of delight escape instead. Writhing, a violent jerk on the cuffs making the headboard slam into the wall with a bang, her hips lifting to work him deeper in only to be denied when he shifted positions and hovered over her. 

Arianna didn’t have a chance to answer as his mouth followed the same trail as his hands, nipples laved with attention, belly nipped and nuzzled till he found the juncture of her thighs. Again and again, he brought her to the brink of orgasm then backed off till she was close to begging with tears in her eyes. Chris returned blanket her with his body, heat meltingly soothing while his mouth savaged hers, taste of her own arousal thick. When he came up for air, her breathing had a ragged edge, a fine tremor in her limbs as she struggled to keep from losing her control. “Easy princess. Come here.”

Snapping the flex cuffs off, he rolled them both till she lay snuggled against his body while he caressed her back and shoulders to soothe till an inexorable pressure started to guide her head lower. Didn’t take a second for her to get the hint and with a sigh of relief Arianna slithered down till her head rested on Chris’ belly, eye to eye with his thick manhood. Thanks to no boundaries when it came to new things and a doctor’s knowledge of human anatomy, it hadn’t taken her long to figure out what pressures and places drove this man wild. Her adept tongue and mouth worked shaft to bulbous head till it was his turn to moan under her ministrations, the respite from arousal giving her enough space to breath again without being in danger of going over the edge. 

Chris’ hand tangled in those thick, dark waves, guiding her up off him and once again claimed her mouth in a wild dance of tongues and lips till both were panting and at the very precipice of capitulation to the tempest of lust building with every single point of contact added. Coming up for air, he murmured softly against her swollen lips. “I think you mentioned something earlier….” That was all the warning she got as eager hands rolled her over and up till she came up on her knees, spreading thighs till the center of her body lay open. 

“Being bent over wasn’t it?” Her response held a thread of amusement while the ache between her legs tripled as he moved into position. “Please?” The softly spoken word pleaded for him to keep going, not stop again.

This time there was no teasing as Chris thrust home in a single stroke, no barrier in the sopping wet channel. As soon as he seated himself deep within, he knew that neither would last long now and reached to snag one of her hands, finding the engorged clit and stroking gently with both of their hands while he rocked with ever increasing speed and ferocity. Arianna went over first, in such a state that the friction on both sweet spots was just too much to resist and she buried screams into a pillow. The waves of pleasure engulfed her in the throes of release, convulsions of belly and slick, velvet sheath making her buck wildly against him, pulling him along with her as with a shout he filled her with his seed. His own movement became erratic as her climax went on forever, the rhythmic pulse of her orgasm dragging Chris deeper and milking him till they both collapsed in a tangle of limbs, exhausted.

Keeping them joined, he settled her against him and started the barely there caress of arm and shoulder. It took a moment for Arianna to gain enough focus to speak again and she peppered his shoulder with a few kisses. “Love you. Made my birthday perfect.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Late, well past midnight, Chris’ pip-boy crackled to life, a quick three beep alarm repeating until   
the man stirred in confusion. Still tangled with his lover, it took a moment to extricate himself   
without waking her and find a pair of lounge pants to shrug into. Tugging the blanket over her   
bare hip with a quick caress of her shoulder, he shut the bedroom door behind him and tapped   
on the screen. “Sebastian.” 

Hunter’s voice responded, a bit slurred but it had a frantic edge. “Shit...shit….tell me you’re in   
your quarters alone.” 

Bewildered, Chris groaned in frustration. “Hunter, you calling me to nag…” 

His partner cut him off. “Shut it Chris. Doc’s looking for Raina, he figured out his parental tracker   
is off and I’d lay rations on his next stop being you.” 

Before Chris could respond, his door vibrated with the banging. “Officer Sebastian, I need to   
speak with you.” From the other side, the voice held a recognizable irritation. 

Sighing, he felt his stomach drop. “He’s here.” 

There was a moment of silence from the other end of the comm. “You need me to head that   
direction?” 

“No, no Hunter head to bed. I’ll muddle through this.” A few taps shut the unit down and he   
tossed it to the side before walking across to open the door. “Doctor Talos, what can I….” 

James interrupted, suspicion and fury in every line of his body. “My daughter is missing officer.”   
The last word had a tinge of derision. “This tracker seems to be faulty and I thought you’d be   
able to lend some assistance.” He pushed past the security officer and made his way to the   
bedroom door, hand hovering for a moment as if he suspected what lay beyond it. “Tell me   
Chris, do you know where she is?” 

Transfixed, words escaping him, Chris stood mute until the doc hit the bedroom and finally   
moved to intercept. “Doctor Talos, we need to talk.” He didn’t get to finish the sentence as   
James pushed the door open and stood there in the opening. 

James was mute for a span of seconds, staring at the prone figure of his daughter curled up in   
the center of the bed. There was no denying her lack of clothing, the smell of sex thick in the   
small room as he silently pulled the door shut and turned almost in slow motion to face   
Arianna’s lover who lingered close but just out of reach. “My daughter. You took a naive and   
innocent girl..” His voice vibrated with enmity as it rose. 

Chris’ eyes narrowed but he held his hands up in supplication, not wanting this to go the   
direction he could sense it was heading. “With all due respect you know those are two words   
that haven’t applied to her in awhile. I swear to you I didn’t force her or hurt her in anyway.” He   
didn’t have a chance to finish the explanation as the other man launched himself with furious   
intent. 

Inside the bedroom, Arianna had stirred at the loss of Chris’ warmth but the door shutting   
brought her up to consciousness with a confused swivel of her head to place the noise. When   
her father’s voice filtered through the metal hatch, her heart started pounding and she frantically   
searched for anything to put on. Digging through the dresser, a drawer yielded another set of   
pants and a t-shirt that hung to mid thigh that had to be tied at the hip. Bursting through the   
door, the tableau shocked her, father and lover locked up in a frenetic clash, Chris’ mouth   
trickling blood while he held James back with a forearm to the throat. 

“Stop!” Her frantic scream didn’t register with her dad but Chris’ gaze slid to her standing there,   
tousled and barefoot, and in a tone that brooked no argument demanded she return to the   
bedroom. When neither broke the clinch, Arianna ran and pushed her way between them, using   
hands and body to shove till both men stood a few feet apart, panting. 

Hunched over, breathing labored, James glared in Chris’ direction. “Arianna, get your things,   
you will be leaving immediately.” 

Chris just shook a tousled head and reiterated his earlier command. “Rain, go back to bed. I’ll   
handle this.” 

“The hell you will….” Straightening, James made a move to start round two when once more the   
petite reason for the clash stepped up and shoved him back, glaring at both parties. 

One slender hand pointed to the living area. “Both of you will sit the hell down and we’ll deal like   
adults.” 

Her father glanced her way, eyes narrowed. “Except that you darling are a year away from that   
distinction….” 

Shaking his head, Chris moved to the sofa, taking a swipe at the blood on his face with a shirt   
from the laundry crate before sitting down. “No, Doctor Talos your daughter is right. Time to man   
up for both of us.” Tossing the wad of material onto the table behind him, he sat forward, arms   
on knees and waited. 

James still simmered with latent anger but dropped into the chair his daughter had lounged on   
hours before. “No, you need to explain why you took advantage of a young, inexperienced girl.” 

From behind them, Arianna snarled. “Both of you, hush.” Back with three cups in hand, pungent   
aroma rising as she handed each one a scotch before dropping to the floor between the pair   
and taking a long pull from her own glass before speaking. “First, he didn’t take advantage of   
me daddy. I was the one who forced the issue.” 

Before she could go further, Chris laid a hand on her shoulder, stalling words with a gesture.   
“Rain, let me deal with this. In many ways your father is right. I should have never let it get as far   
as it did.” A hand lovingly stroked her hair as he fixed his gaze on James. “I don’t regret it but in   
all honesty I meant to wait till she was eighteen. I wanted to do this the right way, with your   
permission and make sure it was permanent. What I said earlier is also true. I never forced her   
and I would never hurt her.” He had to take a deep breath to steady himself before the next part.   
“But Rain was persistent and I just…..I just couldn’t keep fighting her and myself as well.” 

“Yeah, he resisted for a bit.” Arianna chirruped from her perch on the floor. When Chris moved   
to shush her again she held up a hand. “And I get to have a say. I didn’t want to wait since he’s   
surrounded by all types clamoring for his attention. I mean Maryanne is always dragging her   
udders all over……. 

“Arianna, enough.” Her father rubbed the bridge of his nose, a similar twitch that had to be a   
male thing since Chris did it often enough. When his child saw fit to actually listen, he paused,   
very aware of the byplay between the female on the floor and the much larger man whose touch   
held a tenderness that surprised him. “I think I understand your point Chris. I left Arianna alone   
too much and she’s run wild.” He waggled a finger at his daughter “ I taught you that life is yours   
for the taking if you’re willing to take the risks as well, I just never figured just how far you’d take   
it sweetheart. Part of me was worried that you have no stopping point and this is proof.” 

Chris couldn’t help it, he laughed at the last part. “You’re right. She doesn’t.” 

From the floor, Arianna glared at both of them. “What do either of you expect? I make my   
contribution…” She did the little air quote thing with her fingers. “And excel at it. When I get   
bored I find things to keep my busy. That’s what you taught me dad. I would have thought you’d   
be proud of how I turned out.” 

James shook his head. “Arianna, do you know how many of the overseer’s edicts you’ve   
violated, or how you’ve put Officer Sebastian’s job in danger with this little liaison? Not to   
mention whatever the pair of you did to the tracker on my pip-boy?” 

Silent until this point, Chris looked from James to Arianna, fixing his lover with a pointed stare   
her father couldn’t miss.. 

“Arianna?” 

Rain chewed on her bottom lip and exhaled slowly. “That’s on me. I can fix it.” 

His jaw worked, face settling into forbidding lines. “This is something we need to discuss when   
we get back to our quarters. Go get dressed.” 

Reluctantly but with a dancer’s grace, Arianna rose and snagged her clothes off the back of the   
other chair before stalking into the bedroom and slamming the door without a backwards   
glance. Both men remained silent for a moment before James spoke again. “I don’t suppose   
you’re going to stop this.” 

Chris, still shirtless didn’t stir, just ran a thumb across his bottom lip for a second or two. “No. I   
meant what I said. I should have stopped it but I’m not willing to now.” 

“And if I insisted?” 

There was a pregnant pause before Chris responded. “You have one option and that’s to go to   
Almodovar, which would put all of us in danger. He’s been a bit unstable lately and I don’t trust   
him or some of the other security team. If she’s not with you she’s probably with Stanley or me.   
She’s safer that way and I’m not going to jeopardize that. “ 

Somehow the refusal seemed to placate her father just a bit and James nodded. “Almodovar   
unstable?” 

Arianna striding out from the bedroom forestalled the next question and while Chris gave a a   
subtle up and down with a carnal stare, the doc was less than impressed. He waved her   
towards the door and made one last comment on their way out. “I see I do owe you a bit of an   
apology. When you said you had a hard time, I didn’t realize just how far my daughter would go.” 

Standing mulishly by the threshold for another moment, Arianna’s stare went from her father to   
her lover and back again. Whatever had happened while she’d been shimmying back into her   
clothes between the two men seemed to have calmed them and she was wont to leave it be.   
Arianna began to step towards Chris as he began to stand but an imperceptible shake of his   
head stopped her dead in her tracks. They’d talk later. 

So with a surprisingly perky grin, she gave her man a wave and followed her daddy out to begin   
the walk of shame back to her quarters though from the jaunty swing of those hips there wasn’t   
an ounce of regret in her.


	14. Reveal Pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's all coming together but forces behind the scenes have set the beginning of the end in motion

The sun was merciless, cloudless sky leaving no protection from the solar burn of it’s rays and the isolated clumps of trees with their blanched limbs did little to help. Two figures wandered down the hill towards the looming skeleton of what had once probably been a highway with bumper to bumper traffic so many decades past. Crouching, Chris scanned the expanse below, glasses lifted to rest on the brim of his hat while Hunter sat a few feet away, sipping on a bottled water. “See a thing?”

Dropping his hands, he snagged the bottle and took a healthy swig before handing in back with a shrug. “Not sure. Rain said there would be a processing facility near here if the old maps were correct but what I see is thick with raiders.”

Passing the binoculars over, he dropped down beside his partner. “I’m not sure if we can take them all with the weapons we have on us.”

Hunter’s turn to peer down the hill with a much more serious bent then what most in the vault saw in him on a regular. “I think we can. I grabbed a half dozen grenades from Moira thanks to Rain handing over some of her contraband cache. Ammo’s good too. We’re just going to have to peel away the outer layer of assholes as quietly as possible.”

“Then pray and spray? I don’t know.” Chris’ focus was coming back in one piece with the proper parts, finding the female waiting for his return to be more of a influence this trip than others.

Hunter tucked the binoculars back in his pack, snorting quietly. “What, that tangle with Doc Talos making you soft?” Nudging Chris’ shoulder, he indicated a stand of half dead trees and rocks. “Shade. Let’s give them a few hours, when dusk hits they’ll be more interested in fucking and getting high, easier to take’em out.”

The pair settled down, keeping watch on their target but relaxing as much as possible while grabbing a bite to eat with a side of aimless chatter. “So, how’s the doc handling you and Raina?”

Chris gave Hunter a side-eye glance before digging into a can of beans. “Not sure, denial maybe. He’s not known for small talk with our type anyway and if Rain’s with me he does a long route to avoid us.”

“Dad’s still mad you won’t back off.” Hunter snorted in amusement. “At least he’s not openly opposed. You could be in deep with the Overseer if he wanted to push it.”

Silent, contemplative, the other man just shook his head. “No, I think Almodovar would keep things like they are. Rain is better occupied and out of trouble.” 

Dark came soon and the two men melted into the shadows as they took up a high ground position above the location, Hunter with the binoculars, Chris with a hunting rifle culled from a previous trip. “Left tower thing, dude’s over by the rail on the left.”

A bullet pinged high and to the right, causing the target to look around in confusion, mind already spinning on some concoction . The second shot caught him in the throat and he fell with little more than a gargle and splatter of crimson on the dirty white wall behind him. 

Hunter lowered the binoculars with a snicker. “Good thing he was high or he’d have alerted everyone.” 

Chris glowered then settled into position again. “If you’d like to do this…..” He frowned. “Next target or I roll you down the hill as a diversion.”

Chuckling, Hunter got back to business and the pair pretty much took out anyone left on the fringes of the plant. Moving down as quietly as possible, the rest fell in a hail bullets and frag grenade blasts with the two men taking minor damage, a couple of hits to the leather armor and a graze here and there to open limbs. It took the better part of an hour to drag bodies out of various buildings including the new dead and past what they felt was a safe scavenger line. By the time they were finished, the moon stood watch high in the night sky and fatigue dragged at both. Hunter made short work of barring the door, the heavy metal pole he found in a back closet more than sufficient to keep any other creature from making inside the dank interior of the water treatment plant. 

Finding a relatively clean spot, Chris kicked his bedroll open and dropped down with a weary sigh. “Remind me again why we ended up with this duty?”

Hunter laughed and joined his compatriot on the floor. “We volunteered.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Didn’t take long to get back once they’d squirrelled out the specific parts needed and both entered the clinic after the unusually long debrief with relief. Arianna nowhere in sight, it was just the Doc and Jonas in the clinic to give them the once over and bandage the minor scrapes and gouges. Chris resisted the urge to use his pip-boy to locate her, just sat silent while James stitched a bullet graze closed and tried to get a read on his lover’s father. Jonas though had no problems keeping up the conversational duties.

“Arianna and Stanley are gonna be thrilled you two are back. They’ve been patching machinery non-stop since you two left.” He did a final sweep with synth skin and gave Hunter a pat on the back. “You’re good as new though a shower might be in order.”

Hunter grunted but hopped up off the stool he’d been sitting on. “Well, next time you can go fight the demons of the wasteland and I’ll hang here and relax.” Humor took most of the sting from the words. “You should have smelled the raiders we cleared out. I smell like a princess in comparison.”

“I feel sorry for your prince.” Chris quipped from his perch on the exam table, the doc stitching the last of the bullet wound closed with little flourish. He finally spoke to his lover’s parental figure, voice low. “I take it everything was quiet though?”

James, face set in stern lines just nodded. “Yes, a run in or two with Butch but nothing out of the ordinary.” Chris’ muscles tensed under his hands and the two security officers exchanged a look. Not missing a thing, the doc turned to his assistant with a slight frown. “Jonas, would you give us a moment please?” Confused, Jonas nodded and turned to leave the room. It was no secret that the two men shared much in the course of their work on James’ pet project but he only suspected, like much of the vault, that the bigger of the two guards had an illicit fascination with the doctor’s underage daughter. What he wouldn’t give to be a fly on the wall in the room after he exited.

Once alone, James rounded on the two men with a furrowed brow. “Explain.”

“Explain what?” Hunter tried to play confused while Chris sat stoic.

The expression on the doc’s face became thunderous as he stared his daughter’s lover down. “You know what I mean.”

Chris finally relented. “Butch? The Overseer uses his little group to keep residents in line. He’s got a thing for Amata and Rain keeps getting in the way.”

James began to pace. “And you know this how? Security is aware?”

The two officers exchanged a glance, this time Hunter speaking up before his partner could respond. “We just found out a few months back. I can’t say if the rest of the force knows about it.”

“And you found this out how?” Again, a shared glance and James exploded. “Dammit just tell me what the hell is going on and how it affects my daughter!”

“Raina” 

Hunter just said the name and the doc rounded on Chris. “She told you both this? How far has she gone this time?”

Chris remained silent, unwilling to put her in any further trouble but again, his partner spilled it. “It’d be quicker if we listed things she hasn’t thought of yet.”

Again, James focused on the taller of the two. “Explain, details and stop hedging.” 

Sighing, Chris didn’t stand, didn’t want it to come down to an excuse of posturing to push the doc too far. “Doctor Talos, please. You know your daughter. You know she’s a wild one and too smart for her own good. She found ways around almost every security protocol awhile ago, probably well before the G.O.A.T. test results got doctored.” He would have stopped there but the look James fixed him with made him reluctantly continue. “She’s had access to all vault files for some time, included Almodovar’s personal logs and Vault-Tec files that were eyes only for the overseer. I have no idea how far she’s gone down that particular rabbit hole but she knows way more than she should.”

A tense silence stretched out between the three, Hunter and Chris on the pensive side, James trying to quell a mixture of pride and fury at his wayward offspring and her lack of following directives for what seemed to be the hundredth time. 

“Anyone but you two know this?” James’ voice held a surprisingly calm edge.

Chris shook his head but Hunter frowned. “I don’t think so but she’s tight with Amata. She might suspect some of what Raina’s been up to.”

The other guard just sighed. “Not as much as you’d think. She might lack control but Rain is very good at calculating just how much risk is involved in revealing her secrets.” Chris didn’t want to point out to the doc that while he just getting read into some details, he’d bet money his lover had things going on even he and Hunter had no clue about. 

James nodded then turned, beginning to put instruments back and cleaning up the mess they’d made while patching the two men up. “I imagine she is.” Silently part of him cringed at just how far his child had gone, knowing in some ways the blame lay as equally at his feet as it did hers.

After a few moments, the doc spoke again. “I’m assuming you are keeping her secrets as well?”

Hunter snorted, the sound more like a strangled laugh. “Considering we’d go down with her, hell yeah. Besides, she has these chocolate…”

“Hunter.” Chris’ terse single word utterance made the other male grind to a halt. 

James’ shoulders seemed to drop another inch or so as he turned. “What else?” He almost didn’t want to hear what other antics his offspring had been up to. 

“She’s got stashes of goodies all over…” Hunter blurted out and would have continued but the icy stare of his partner had him faltering, eventually falling silent. 

“No Chris, let’s get it all out. I’m tired of surprises.” The doc had a defeated air, almost as if he knew how deep this particular subject was gonna go.

Chris’ turn to sigh as he stood and started shrugging into his shirt again, same smelly garb he’d worn in but he didn’t want to wander the vault shirtless and deal with the comments he’d surely garner. “She’s had the run of the entire vault since she was younger, hiding things she finds for later, especially if she likes them.” He didn’t add his suspicions that Rain had been wandering the forbidden areas of the vault for some time including the sections sealed off due to the low population of the facility, it was the only way to explain some of her convenient finds. “Hunter is addicted to the chocolate Fancy Lads she’s got.” 

“They made chocolate?” A ghost of a smile began to form. He couldn’t help but feel that pride well up again. 

The taller guard chuckled. “Yeah.” Chris started to exit the clinic, motioning for Hunter to follow but paused as the door hissed open. “Ask her to bring you a bottle of the scotch when you confront her. It’s amazing.” With that, the two males left James standing, staring down at his desk with a distant and slightly irritated look. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Outside, the men parted ways when they reached the living quarters, Chris pausing only long enough to tap out a message before tossing his pipboy onto the bedside table and hitting the shower. The conversation he’d just had was playing over and over in his head, part trepidation about how far James would go in punishing Rain and a twinge of regret that it might mean a lack of time for the pair because of it. But better to have it all out, less tiptoeing around, less deception. 

So involved in the internal processes, he missed the door opening to his quarters and the silent approach of the dark headed vixen until she slipped behind him with arms snaking around his waist, pressing firm curves to his back. “You that tired?”

Wiggling under his arm, Rain snuggled in close and lay her head on his chest while water sluiced over them both. “I missed you.”

He grabbed her in a bear hug, hauling her up till feet dangled for a kiss that left them both breathless and his half-erect manhood now standing at full attention with that glide of womanly softness over the soapy hardness of his muscled frame. “I missed you too princess. I got your parts.” 

Giggling, her hand slipped between them to grasp that thick member and slide over each velvety inch with just the right amount of pressure to weaken his knees. “I can see you brought all the right parts back.”

Growling and laughing, big hands palmed her sweet ass and hauled her up till her back rested against the shower wall, cock at the ready and nestled against the slick entrance to her body. “You are a brat.” One thrust and they were both lost in a haze of passion that had too long to build with his foray into the wastes. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They’d made love twice before Chris lost the fight with fatigue and slept, a deep slumber accompanied by soft snores and weighted limbs that pinned the smaller female to the bed, content and sore in all the right places. It took a bit to disentangle from Chris’ arm and legs but the incessant beeping of her own pip-boy finally drove her from the warm nest of man and blankets into the living room to answer the call. When she saw who it was, Arianna swore softly.

“Hey dad…” He didn’t give her any time to say much else, demanding she return to their quarters. It didn’t take long to wiggle back into her clothes and leave a fleeting kiss to Chris’ cheek before disappearing with parts in hand to face her father’s ire. 

James sat in the living area in the only chair, leaving her either the sofa or at his feet and from his expression, Arianna chose to keep as far out of reach as she could, tossing the packet of parts onto the table before sliding onto the couch with what she hoped was a calm, relaxed expression. 

“I take it you’ve seen Officer Sebastian.” He nodded at the parts before continuing, not giving her the time to respond. James knew exactly where she’d been thanks to the update on her tracker and didn’t want to dwell on what probably went down behind the security officer’s closed door. “He, Officer Morgan and I had an interesting conversation this afternoon.” 

Arianna felt her stomach drop and opened her mouth to speak but his upheld hand once again forestalled her. “No sweetheart I don’t want to hear it. We had this discussion when the G.O.A.T. results came back and you blatantly disregarded my directives over and over again.”

He leaned forward, hands loosely clasped as elbows came to rest on knees, a posture she’d seen time and again in both her father and Chris. Arianna stiffened and waited for the other shoe to fall. “I was going to give yourself a chance to explain yourself but looking at the patterns of behavior it's the same excuses over and over. You keep going head to head with Butch despite knowing what he’s capable of, you thumb your nose at security and protocols on a whim and do what you please with no thoughts to the consequences for you or anyone else in your circle including myself and the man you claim to love.”

James paused to take a breath and Arianna broke in, voice hurt and confused. “Really? That’s all you see?”

“Yes. So from here on out, there are new rules, You are to avoid Butch and his little group of thugs, you are to remain as close to the clinic and these quarters as I see fit and as far as you and Chris…” He inhaled and took a second, this last bit the one thing that rankled as a father but he knew that taking everything away would be too much and might just push her further into rebellion instead of bringing her to heel. “You may continue to see him but as undercover as possible. I would hate for your relationship, which I might add was ill thought-out to begin with, to put him and Hunter in Almodovar’s sights”

Speechless, Arianna just sat there while her father stood and approached, stopping to ruffle her hair. “I know you won’t like this but it’s about time I did my duty as a father, something I’ve been neglecting too much lately.”

He was headed towards his room when she also came to her feet, face set in mulish lines. “Really? You and Chris came up with this together I take it? You both have the same solution to the problem, keep your mouth shut and ignore what goes on around you in the name of safety. Almodovar and Butch and half of Vault Security are bullies who enjoy pushing people to the edge and you’d rather I hide in my room instead of doing what’s right.” Striding past him, she stopped at her door and glanced over her shoulder. “That is why they have power, because everyone looks the other way.”

She’d done it again, turned the tables as deftly as Catherine had back in the day. James stood, shaking his head and speechless as his young daughter slammed her bedroom door with finality and wondered how he’d lost control of the situation and his dark haired virago of a child. The revelation of Chris’ actions however made him once again rethink initial assumptions about the man and his motives. He’d always assumed the vault guard had been after Arianna for the novelty, the nubile body, not realizing that perhaps he’d misjudged the man. Concern on that level from the older male guard indicated much more than base urges involved and if nothing else it made James relax a touch knowing Chris watched Arianna as much as he did.

He’d need the help keeping her safe if her outburst were accurate. While he admired the nobility of the thoughts behind her stance, their place in the vault was precarious at best and her continual rebellion was bound to catch the wrong attention eventually. James made his way to his bed with a sigh, wondering if Arianna’s mother watched from above, laughing with pride at the feisty exchange.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The new restrictions chaffed to no end for Arianna. Not that her alone time with Chris suffered but her freedom to do as she wished evaporated leaving a restless energy that even naked interludes couldn’t fully dispel. Amata had roped her into a daily yoga routine that surprisingly enough her father agreed to so that’s where the pair began to spend most of the day, down in the fitness center during general hours. 

“So, how long you think your dad’s gonna keep this up?” Amata, clad in the same togs as her friend, asked a bit breathlessly as she held crescent moon pose. Bright color yoga pants and crop tops with sports bras underneath to keep the bits covered made the pair stand out, their synchronicity catching a few eyes but the thin trickle of people didn’t lend itself to that many onlookers.

Arianna shrugged and moved into warrior three, nodding for Amata to follow. “No idea. He’s cool with Chris and I hanging out together so I’m going to ease back into other activities once the heat is off.”

Amata laughed. “Or till you turn 18. Then he’s got nothin’ to say about nothin’.” 

Dissolving in giggles, Arianna lost her pose and dropped to the floor. “That’ll go over well.” From the corner of her eye, she caught Hunter and Chris on the lower level in the sparring ring going at it and shot a glance at her friend. “You wanna go poke the bear?”

Following Arianna’s gaze, Amata nodded with an appreciative whistle. “Damn girl. You know I got mad envy for you at times. That man is fine as hell.” 

Linking arms, the girls took the stairs with a leisurely twitch of the hips, not stopping till they had ringside seats. Hunter noticed first, frowned in their general direction and took a left hook that sent him staggering thanks to the distraction. Chris grinned around the mouthpiece and gave Rain a wave with gloved hand, spitting the thing out and waving her over. “You two get bored with all the postures?”

Before they could respond, Hunter chimed in from the corner. “Stop distracting the serious workouts. Go put a sweater on or something.” 

Arianna flipped him off and posted up on the sparring floor, staying on the correct side of the ropes but letting her fingers find Chris’ firm jaw with a sly smile. “You know….since you learned my style of fighting, you should teach me this one.” He nuzzled her palm and after a quick look round stole a hungry kiss.

“Girls can’t box.” Hunter grunted, ignoring the other pair and began to untie the gloves, sure now that nubile flesh was close enough to touch that the workout was over. 

Oddly enough, Amata answered first. “Why? Cause you know we got better footwork and faster hands?”

The shorter of the two guards snorted with derision. “No, because you’re short and hit like a girl.”

Cinnamon eyes shifted from her lover to the other male in the ring. “Come on Hunter, if that’s the case you can go a few rounds with me…” Arianna’s laughter held a challenge. 

Hunter just held up his hands. “Fuck no, you don’t hit like a girl, you hit like a brick wall. My jewels still hurt.” One hand dipped instinctively to protect his crotch. 

Chris rested one glove on Arianna’s shoulder, more to hold himself up as he convulsed in hilarity than an affectionate caress while Amata dropped on a nearby bench in the same state. Hunter snorted in disgust at the pair and moved to leave the ring while his partner caught his breath enough to speak. “With all due respect Ms. Amata, while I have no problems teaching either of you, your father would have to give me permission.” He chucked Arianna under the chin. “You though, you’d have to agree to do whatever I say.”

It was Arianna’s turn to snicker. “Like we don’t play that game already.” 

Hunter paused, eyebrows shooting up and stared over the water bottle. “So tempting to ask for details.” 

Shaking his head, Chris gave Arianna a swat on the ass and slipped between the ropes, holding hands out for her to assist with unlacing the gloves. “Not a chance. What kind of fighter you think she’ll be? She’s short in stature and arm length, both of them are really. “ He gave Amata a nod, hoping to hell the girl would keep her mouth shut about the exchange. 

The other male frowned. “I’m thinking more counterpunch style. More defensive than offensive.” He shrugged. “Raina you’re fast and you think when you fight, always looking for the advantage.”

Amata had grabbed a water bottle as well and settled back down on the ringside bench. “So I have a nicely framed request for the old men, what kind of fighters are there?”

Chris remained silent, distracted, hungry eyes taking in the line of his lady’s jaw, curve of her lips and the voluptuous body so close he could smell her perfume. It brought the previous afternoon back to the forefront and fired up intense desire that had nothing to do with either of the other bodies in the room, just a driving need to sweep her up and make the world fade away for an hour or two. It was getting to the point where he craved her at his side all the time, not only with a sexual heat but just her company and playful humor. The doc keeping her under lockdown ate away at their time together and he resented it since they had to play innocent in public.

Head down, Arianna focused on undoing the tight laces and missed the stare. “Yeah, ‘splain.”

Hunter saved the day though, filling in with basics while Chris struggled with libido and an overwhelming wave of emotion. “It’s more skill set than anything else. Brawlers kick your ass from just overwhelming pounding, out-fighters have a long reach and avoid getting pounded while destroying you. In-fighters are the opposite, they stay in close and keep wearing you down but they have to be able to take a beating.” Blue eyes skimmed the pair so close they were nearly nose to nose while Arianna worked on the gloves and felt a trickle of envy. No missing the bond between Chris and the slight brunette even though they tried to keep it low key. There was just something about them when they got within touching distance that revealed how much more past slaking lust they’d taken it. 

His partner nodded. “I agree. Counter puncher, she can dance.”

With both gloves off, Chris could spin the lithe girl in front of him and deny the lush image in favor of getting on with the lessons. “Then it’s a deal princess. Three times a week down here, speed bag drills, heavy bag work and some weight training. You’ve already got the cardio and lean muscle work handled.” He glanced over at Amata who’d been watching the pair intently. “And if the overseer agrees, you can join in.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amata lasted two weeks before deciding it was too much work and bailing for hang time in the lounge but Arianna was on a mission. Much like anything else she set her mind to, there was no stopping her once she’d taken on a challenge. Despite the teasing, whining and pleading, Arianna completed her workouts with both Hunter and Chris near to give either support or a good natured hard time. With the petite brunette so focused, Hunter even stepped up his game, making it a three way competition at times with Arianna coming out on top once or twice surprisingly enough. 

“Hah!” Arianna stepped back from the speed bag and looked at the counter, turning to stick her tongue out at Hunter with a laugh. “You gettin’ too old to keep up?”

Chris leaned in to look at the numbers while Hunter grumbled behind him. “As if. Machine must be off. Hell if Chris hadn’t figured out how to lower the bag, we would have had to find you a step stool.” 

Crossing her arms, Arianna went toe to toe with Hunter, grin on her face. “What language are you speaking? Cause it sounds like bull…” 

“Rain!” Chris chuckled and grabbed her by the thick braid down her back while Hunter waggled a wrapped hand in her face, smile creeping in despite the burn. “You lady need to get packin’. Adult hours start in five and you don’t qualify.”

Laughing, Arianna started heading down the stairs where she’d left her gear. “Good thing they go by age and not maturity level.” The last insult was tossed over a shapely shoulder as she disappeared.

Both men watched the sway before Hunter turned to his partner. “You know how disconcerting it is to know someone half your size can probably destroy you and walk away looking like that?”

Chris threw a half-hearted punch, catching Hunter in the shoulder and staggering him nonetheless. “Probably?” Laughing, the pair moved towards the men’s lockers and their gear.

Down below, Arianna crouched near her bag, stowing gloves and a spare row of tape while mentally churning out the evening schedule with a half smile. These workout sessions had turned into more fun than grind, much like the tai chi sessions had been before the Overseer had halted them. The camaraderie and playful tone had done much to soothe Arianna’s irritation with the restrictions placed by her father and had helped to start healing the breach between them. 

So intent on task and internal thoughts, she didn’t hear the approaching trio until it was too late to avoid them. 

“I guess someone thinks she’s above the rules and regs now that she’s back in tight with the overseer’s girl.” Stevie Mack, in workout togs and flanked by both Richards and O’Brian, stood behind her and to the left, radiating belligerence and malice.

The only sign Arianna’d heard them was a sudden, stiffening of her back and a brief stare before returning to her packing. 

“Didn’t you hear me girl?” Mack took two steps and grabbed her shoulder but Arianna shrugged the grab off and stood, spinning back out of reach with a liquid grace. 

Tugging the strap of her bag higher, she favored all three with a level, cinnamon shaded gaze. “Isn’t there a bullet somewhere you could be jumping in front of?” The comment dripped with disdain, no fear in the slender teen’s stance or expression as she moved to step past the men and make her way back upstairs. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew this didn’t bode well, even with her boys upstairs. It wasn’t the odds, hell after taking on Chris, Hunter and her father all at once, the security boys were no physical threat. It was the consequences of her fighting back that could ruin lives. So Arianna opted for the high road and tried to push past them and head upstairs. Mack intercepted, snatching the strap and her arm with barely leashed violence, sending her back into the wall with a thud. 

“Hey!” 

Barely enough time for her to cry out before he was on her, jaw in a cruel grip while he snarled inches from her face. “What? No-one to ride to your rescue? How you gonna handle this bitch?”

Brown eyes narrowed as the bag slipped to the floor, Arianna inhaling and using both arms and momentum to shove the bigger male backwards, sending him stumbling while the other two looked on with consternation, unsure of how to react. “Like I’d handle anything else you ass.”

Upstairs, Chris and Hunter chatted as they shouldered bags, Chris’ expression darkening as the cry from below startled and made stomachs drop. “Dammit….” At a dead run, both males hit the top of the stairs and nearly flew down them, taking in the tableau seconds before Arianna sent Stevie lurching unsteadily in their general direction. Chris didn’t even hesitate and with a single grab sent the other security officer careening back in her direction with triple the force. She scrambled to avoid the incoming male but couldn’t hide the smile when he hit the wall with a resounding bang. 

A silent jerk of Chris’ chin in Arianna’s direction had Hunter moving to intercept her, dragging her back with an arm around her waist and his mouth at her ear. “Shut up Raina, just shut the hell up and let him take care of this.” Mulish and frowning, she let him draw her out of harm’s way but the fire in those brown eyes spoke of repercussions later. 

While Richards helped Mack off the floor, Chris waited, the same ominous stare he’d had with Butch darkening his countenance. O’Brian hadn’t moved, realizing that while a petite girl was an easy target, the six foot four inch male currently squaring off for combat held a promise of lethal retribution. Finally upright, Stevie glared at Arianna for a long pause before facing the much larger security officer who radiated animosity. “She should be….”

“What? She should be what?” Chris’ tone held no emotion, blue eyes icy as they skimmed each vault guard in turn. “Punished for running a few minutes late? She was leaving when you stopped her so that’s on you.” He took a step closer, hands at his sides flexed then fisted before reaching up to grab the ends of the workout towel still around his neck. It was the only thing keeping him from obliterating Mack’s face in a barrage of blows, fury so high he choked on it. He knew if he glanced over where Hunter stood with Arianna he’d lose the final threads of control. 

“Is that what we are? Is this how you want your daughter or wife or mother treated?” Another step closer, menace in the leashed power of his body. “We’re supposed to help keep the peace, protect the residents here from this kind of behavior, not instigate it, not bully or torment to ease the monotony of our job.” 

Behind the scene, a small crowd was gathering, a few residents including Almodovar in sweats and Arianna’s father at the top of the stairs who’d come to check in on his daughter and found the drama unfolding with her at the center. Chris was oblivious, fighting his own anger and shame at the behavior of those he worked with. “It doesn’t matter what your feeling are towards her or any of the people here. No matter how contentious or annoying any one person is, we patrol and make sure it’s safe for them all because it’s our job, and we do what few residents will ever understand, appreciate or be able to do for themselves. This is what you have been called to do, hand picked by the Overseer and entrusted to respond to those crises that can be some of the worst moments of our vault residents lives. You’re supposed to act like a professional, with pride in your job and that mission we swore to undertake. We’re to treat those who call on us with the same care as you would your family and friends. To act like this or to look the other way while others abuse and harass is shaming the uniform and the man who chose you. ” He stared hard at Mack and O’Brian before taking another step towards Mack. 

There he became a blur, pinning the shorter guard up against the bulkhead wall with a forearm to the throat till Stevie began to turn red, sputtering to catch a breath. Chris’ cold expression had disappeared in an inferno of rage, eyes narrowed and teeth bared. He leaned in close, so close those only a few steps away would have had to lean in to catch his comment. “Touch her again, I’ll kill you.” The growl was a bass rumble far from the playful one used with his lover, this and the bald statement held a promise of retribution on an epic scale. 

Just as quickly as he’d pinned the man, he dropped him, Mack sprawled on the floor with anger in every line of his reddened face. Only then, as he turned, did Chris notice the gathered residents who suddenly had other things to do. He nodded to Almodovar as he turned and grabbed his bag on the way to where Hunter and Arianna stood, ruffling her hair playfully as the trio left through the lower level doorway. 

In the outside hallway, Arianna turned and pinched Chris under the arm with a growl of her own. “Really? Annoying?”

Hunter tugged on her braid much like his partner had earlier, knowing his friend was far from calm and trying to stave off the coming explosion. “You know you are.” He grinned and kept her in a half hug/half headlock as they made their way towards the living quarter levels. “It’s okay though because we still love you. What do you say to hiding out with dinner and some of that hidden Nuka stores of yours?”

“No..” Both Chris and Arianna spoke at the same time but she kept talking while he fell silent. “I can’t. I have to stay right out here and show them they don’t scare me.” 

Chris halted, effectively stopping all three and yanked her out of Hunter’s grip, expression fierce and pinning her with a fulminative glare. “They should dammit. Rain you just don’t learn at all that sometimes you need to keep your mouth shut and….” 

Arianna knocked his hand away, furious in her own right. “I did nothing wrong. Don’t you dare put this shit on me again.” 

Hunter stepped between the pair with a groan of frustration. “Jesus would you two stop? Raina you’ve got a smart ass mouth, Chris you’re being an asshole…”

“I think everyone needs a drink.” From behind, James’ calm voice stemmed the growing, very public argument from picking up any more steam. “I’ll buy.” Not once, not since Arianna began seeing the older male had James approved as much as he did right now. The ferocious stance of the security officer back in the fitness center, Hunter’s seamless assist and the fact all three had made it out without the Overseer’s wrath actually had him in a bit of a good humor. The final few qualms seemed to fade a touch as he wrapped an arm around his daughter’s shoulders and started to lead her towards the upper Atrium lounge. “A drink and a few games of pool are in order.”

Hunter heard free drinks and began to follow, stopping only to yank Chris’ shoulder with what he hoped was encouragement and not an excuse for his friend to clock him. “Come on. Cool off and you can talk to her later. You know this time she’s right.” 

Chris sighed, face apprehensive. He did know Rain had done nothing but mouth off. The fact that the three vault guards had approached her in public worried him much more than her pithy comeback but Hunter had a point. Cool off and talk to her later when they were alone. If they were trying to keep their torrid romance under wraps, a shouting match in the hallway wasn’t getting it done. So with steps slow, he reluctantly followed.


	15. Reveal Pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's all coming together but forces behind the scenes have set the beginning of the end in motion
> 
>  
> 
> ~~In essence, the entire chapter was too big to cram into one~~

As usual, her head was down over a book and tablet, stylus tapping out an impatient tune. Hunter slid into the booth across from Arianna, giving her a playful kick under the table. “You ever get bored with all that?” It had been a week since the incident in the fitness center and things had quieted down again. 

Looking up, it took a moment for the ‘who’ to filter in, the slightly absent minded professor air fading just a touch with the welcoming grin flashed his direction. “No, population genetics are really pretty fascinating.” She paused and took a sip of the tea at her elbow. “Something you should be more concerned about.” 

Hunter frowned and peered at her work, nearly unreadable considering it was upside down and mostly numbers and statistics. “Why should I be worried?”

A free hand waved to encompass the entire diner, thinly populated at the late hour. “This place is dying. Not enough people to keep the gene pool viable.” Hunter just looked confused so she continued. “Think about it, dwindling numbers, fewer live births because of increased pairings between related individuals, including close inbreeding. It’s reducing genetic diversity and affecting individuals at several life stages.” The air of confusion on his face just increased and she laughed. “What don’t you get?”

“All of it.” He would have said more but a slightly unsteady approach drew his eye. “Damn…” Hunter tried to wave the approaching disaster off.

“You can’t be happy with taking one, now you have to come after the other?” Maryanne, obviously well into a second or third bottle of something spoke from behind their position. 

Arianna looked around, trying to see just who the comment was directed at as Hunter glowered and started to slide out of the corner while Maryanne kept going. “That’s right, you get away from that teenaged slut.” The affronted stare from rapidly narrowing eyes made him attempt a speed up that just tangled the long legged security guard up more. He finally extricated himself from the booth and grabbed the other woman’s arm in a none to gentle press of fingers. “Come on Maryanne, let's get you back to your quarters.” Problem was, it wasn’t fast enough. 

The comments had brought Arianna’s back up. “Really? First, you’ve given the men in the vault more rides than a giddyup buttercup so don’t pretend you have a moral leg to stand on. Second, you’re drunk. Come back and make your point when I don’t have to decipher the muddled crap coming out of your mouth.”

Hunter looked stunned. “Raina!” Chris, who’d come up from behind a few seconds before echoed the aghast exclamation. Maryanne, for once, was completely speechless.

Arianna glanced around and spied Alice, waving her over from the table that her detractor had probably started from. “Hey Alice, can you get her home? Before she does something regrettable?” While the pair started to stagger off, she waved at Chris with the sweetest smile. “Hey.” Sensing the drama was over, most of those who’d been watching the exchange began to wander off, leaving the trio pretty much alone except for three of the older residents drinking coffee at a corner booth far from their section of the diner. 

Her lover took a seat next to her with a reproachful stare but she already switched her gaze to Hunter. “Makes battin’ clean up look a bit less attractive hmm?”

“No shit.” It took a moment for her remark to sink in as he reclaimed his seat. “Hey! You and that mouth are…”

Hunter didn’t get to finish the comment before Arianna laughed and interrupted. “Speaking the truth?” The momentary hilarity faded and she reached over to cover his hand with hers. “Really you deserve better.”

Hunter yanked his hand back and cut her off. “Right now it works. Don’t you have to go do something we don’t approve of?”

Looking confused, Arianna settled back, then began to gather her things. Chris, who’d been quiet up until then ruffled her hair. “Her mouth always gets ahead of her.” Blue eyes went from the female to the male. “But I’m sure she means well. And I happen to agree. You deserve better.”

Hunter just grunted and once again stood, motioning for Chris to follow. “Come on, time to get back to work.” 

Arianna wasn’t far behind them, falling into step and nudging Hunter with her shoulder. “You’re not mad at me are you?” It didn’t dawn on her until that moment that anything she said would set her friend off. 

He stopped and faced the petite brunette with a scowl. “Yes….no….I don’t know.” 

Stepping up, she gave him a one armed hug and went up on tiptoe to press a kiss to his cheek. “You know I adore you. I didn’t mean to upset you.” When she moved back, Chris wrapped a hand around her hip and pressed to show his approval of her attempt at making things right. 

Hunter pulled her into a bear hug, pressing a kiss to the top of her head much like his partner often did. “I know. But you and that mouth….Raina you cut deep.” 

“She doesn’t miss much. That’s the problem.” Once they were out of sight, he gave that pert ass a slap. “And her delivery needs some work.”

Laughing, Arianna swatted at his hand and gave both men a playful grin. “I don’t miss much. If you only knew half of what I do….” 

Hunter shook his head. “That’s the scariest thing you’ve said so far….well scariest thing that didn’t require a slide presentation for me to understand.” 

They’d made it to the stairs leading to the lower level atrium when her pip-boy lit up. “Arianna, I need some help with this generator. You free?” Stanley’s voice sounded oddly tinny but she figured it was his location. 

“Yeah, I’ll be right down.” Tucking book and tablet under an arm, the slender brunette gave both men a jaunty wave. “Guess duty calls, never mind the hour.” Her free hand tapped Chris’ body armor dead center in his chest. “Catch you after I guess.” With that she disappeared down a hallway leading to the depths of the vault. 

Both guards watched her go before heading towards the atrium level again, needing to make one final sweep before heading to the lower levels for the last leg of the evening patrol. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two lefts and one level down later, Arianna’s heart skipped as the familiar pair of uniforms rounded a corner but it wasn’t her boys, it was two of three from the incident at the fitness center. Keeping head down and eyes skimming floor tiles, Mack and Armstrong seemed to ignore her though she did hear Stevie snicker as they passed. Shrugging it off, she made it two more doorways down when something on the peripheral made her stagger to the right, left arm coming up to block the descent of a what turned out to be a bat. Stumbling, Arianna dropped her book and tablet with a push to send them skidding into a wall while she backpedalled in an instinctive roll to avoid a second swipe only to find her way blocked by three of Butch’s little cadre. Armed with some sort of blunt object in the form of pipe or baseball paraphernalia, they advanced as she danced out of the way. Swearing under her breath, Arianna tried to back up into the bulkhead wall and protect her ass the old school way since there was no way to avoid the confrontation as Paul, Butch and Wally advanced from the front. 

Numb to the fingers on her left side from the elbow down, the petite female narrowed her eyes as she stared Butch down, confident stare and lack of fear making Paul hesitate on the advance. “Really Butch? You had to get a group together to kick my ass? Really?” Brown eyes held an icy contempt as Arianna snarled the comment thru clenched teeth. 

“What did you think Rainy?” Again with that bastardization of Amata’s nickname for her like it would rankle. “You think I was gonna let you get away with all the smart ass bullshit and not do a thing? We’re the Tunnel Snakes and we don’t put up with that crap, no matter who your friends are.” A chorus of hell yeah and kick her ass from behind him as she got a proper count of how many he’d actually brought along for the fun. Eight in all, all armed with something including Butch with his ‘toothpick’, a switchblade with a thin and almost lethal length of blade. Arianna took a breath and got into her stance, training, muscle memory and maybe luck might just save her ass. Butch though with a knife had first priority. Disarm him and the rest might just back the hell off.

And he led with it, Wally coming in behind with a wrench held high. Grasp bird’s tail. Arianna went for the knife hand, pulling Butch off balance with an elbow twist and his momentum to block the metal rod coming her way with his body. It partially worked, a glancing blow to the shoulder not weakening her grip and allowing for a quick pop to the bend of the his arm. Screaming, he fell back, elbow dislocated while she staggered off balance. Two more advanced from behind and as she spun and blocked it became all rote. Just like the day in the atrium, movement fluid as possible without thought, Arianna was all reaction and a small prayer that she’d remain upright long enough to take them all down.

Paul went down in a flurry of precision strikes with a coup de grace elbow to the face while pipes wielded by the ones to the rear rained blows down on hip and back. Serpent creeps thru the grass A graceful arc down brought spiral punch to one boy’s crotch, knee on the way up catching him in the nose with a satisfying crunch. Being that far down though opened her up to a fist from the left and she staggered back, spitting blood and swinging wildly to get free of the much lighter press of bodies. Still another moved in and Arianna struggled to keep upright, knowing that if she went down it was over. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I take it you’re spending the evening with the naughty nurse?” Hunter took the steps down to the secondary living level two at a time and waited for Chris’ more leisurely stride. 

His partner chuckled. “Seriously. That’s her new moniker?” The hallway was quiet, the after dinner hour often fairly low key where the residents lived. The upper levels near the atrium tended to be more lively but rounds meant every inch of the vault, not just where there might be action. 

“Well, you gotta better one? Or should I keep going? How about hot lips? Sweet cheeks?” Laughing as they strolled, he kept going. “Or maybe something more realistic like pain in the ass?

Chris gave Hunter a shove. “Or little ass kicker. Or in your case…”

His friend held up a hand. “Hey, leave my nuts out of this.” Hunter would have continued but the approach of two more men in blue brought a frown of confusion. “Thought they were taking care of the upper levels.”

The amusement on Chris’ face faded as the identities of the other vault guards became obvious, his expression taking on a dark, uneasy edge. “So did I.”

Mack was smart enough to keep his mouth shut but Armstrong nodded with a sneer. “Nothing happening that way, you two should hit the atrium on the lounge level. Heard a rumor of underage party with liquor is planned for later tonight. We’re off duty as of five minutes ago or we’d lend a hand.”

The only response was a terse nod from Hunter and a frigid stare from the taller guard. Both scrutinized the other pair as they retreated before sharing a glance. “That seemed off.” Hunter spoke first.

“I agree.” Chris’ stare followed the other men with growing suspicion. “I think we’ll keep to the route.”

His companion turned at a tangential movement on his left, spying Paul coming from one of the maintenance access tunnels bleeding profusely from a busted lip that he tried to hide by running the other direction. “Oh shit….I gotta bad feeling.” He started tapping away on the pip-boy screen. “Where the hell are you Raina……” 

From the same hallway, a scream echoed, shrill and asexual. Chris had already bolted by the time Hunter located her, down the same hallway with at least three other signatures close. “Dammit…” He took off at a dead run after his partner.

Down two flights of stairs and a hard left, the scene spread out before them. Butch sprawled on the floor cradling his arm, another in a Tunnel Snakes jacket kept trying to stay vertical but one leg just wouldn’t support him while a third struggled to his feet to get back into the fray.  
Arianna, immobilized and up against the wall, bled from nose, mouth and a cut somewhere on her head. The pale blue shirt held vivid red streaks and splatters as she raised her arms in a defensive boxing stance, head and torso protected as four of Butch’s little gang used pipes and a wrench to wear her down. One took too long to come in for another blow and without warning she slammed a fist into his face and sent him careening back. 

“Code eight on maintenance level 2, bulkhead 4. Multiple assailants in tunnel snake gear. Medical assistance needed.” Hunter yelled in the comm link while Chris waded in. 

The baton in his hand spun from forearm to bludgeon as the free one grabbed the collar of the boy bleeding from the nose and tossed him like a rag into the metal wall. Wally didn’t have time to react other than a grunt of surprise as Chris picked him up by the throat with nightstick under his chin, tossing the younger man after the first, sound of that metallic thud as Wally made contact bringing a cold smile to the guard’s features. It took less than a minute to break the rest of the brawl up when Hunter started swinging, three youths still able to move taking off down the corridor but running into the reinforcements of Wolfe and Gomez.

As soon as her assailants broke off the fight and retreated, Arianna sagged to the hallway floor with a wan smile. She’d known the moment they’d appeared it was over but the guilty pleasure of watching bodies fly as her boys waded in lingered till the adrenaline response faded and pain settled in. The response to the alarm raised by Hunter was surprisingly swift considering the hour, Chief Hanlon speaking quietly into his mike on the fringes, Chris’ menacing aura keeping the Tunnel Snakes quelled while vault security assembled, all the while Hunter took stock of Arianna’s injuries. “Damn Rainy, you look like shit.” While humor colored the comment, his touch as he probed the obvious wounds was gentle. 

A shout from behind Chris made him turn but she didn’t see exactly which one of the men in blue approached until the big man turned and Stevie rose from his crouch near Wally, snarling. “Asshole don’t you ever touch my brother.” You could see the wheels turning as Chris stared at Mack for a span of seconds then moved with the same murderous intent as he’d displayed when confronted with the image of Arianna outnumbered and surrounded. He just picked him up, fingers curling into the soft tissue of the throat as Officer Mack’s head bounced on the bulkhead with formidable impetus and a resounding bang. 

Arianna squeaked and pushed at Hunter’s hand. “Stop this.” She tilted her head towards her lover and Mack. “I don’t think it’ll go well.” As the rest of the guards converged on Chris and the other officer, the camera link on the ceiling blinked, catching her eye. Even the smallest movement caused pain but she pulled her left arm up and cradled the pip-boy in her lap. A few minutes of tap/tap/swipe and the link on Hunter and Chris’ pip-boy opened, allowing her to transfer certain files without much effort nor a single individual noticing a thing. No doubt the security feeds would be wiped as soon as Hanlon had a moment to save his own ass so best to cover theirs while she could.

Feet dangling, the smaller man began to turn a vivid shade of pink as the pressure on carotid and windpipe began to tell. Mack stopped punching at Chris’ torso and began to claw at the fingers in a desperate attempt to loosen the big man’s grip. Chris didn’t relent, just leaned in and stared into Stevie’s face. “I told you if you touched her again I’d kill you.” No explanation offered, just the growl. “Officer Sebastian, stand down. That is an order.” The outcry from Hanlon behind the pair, shouts and sudden pile on of other guards were distant as he just increased the pressure. “You set this up to get back at me. You should have come at me and not her.”

Hunter’s voice was a bee in the ear, a hissing buzz that slowly began to penetrate the cloud of rage. “He’s not worth it. Man let him go it’s not worth it.” Finally fingers flexed and Stevie dropped to the floor in a sad little lump and the cadre of vault security compelled Chris to his knees, flex cuffing arms behind his back with only Hunter protesting but unable to stop it.

Chris caught Arianna’s startled gaze and half smiled in her direction, concern beginning to dim the fog of anger as he took in the extent of the damage. Crimson streaks like war-paint obscured the fine skin, bruises and open cuts making her look like a fighter out of the historical films in the archives with one eye swollen and lip busted open. Enmity began to rise again but Hunter increased the pressure on his buddy’s shoulder as he felt muscles flex under his hands. “Leave it. Overseer’s here.”

Almodovar studied the scene with Hanlon muttering in his ear, nodding here and there till the Chief finished a run down and whispered a few comments of his own before turning to the ragtag group of officers and miscreants. “Escort everyone to the brig, including Ms. Talos. Officer Sebastian and Officer Mack are to be confined to quarters until this is dealt with.” 

There was a rumble from the male on his knees. “She needs…” 

The overseer cut him off. “Jonas will meet us in the security office. Speaking of..” He turned to Hanlon. “I want the doctor in his quarters under guard as well until we get this sorted out.” 

Obvious in that heated blue gaze, Chris called on every iota of restraint not to lunge to his feet in protest. It helped that Hunter had fingers dug so deep into the juncture of neck and shoulder that he’d have to injure his best friend to rise. 

Hunter meanwhile struggled as well, furious that Arianna got lumped in with the Tunnel Snakes and seemed destined to share their fate. He’d felt the ping on his wrist but didn’t check on the message. It could wait, this couldn’t. “Sir, with all due respect…” 

It was Chris who interrupted this time. “Help Rain. I’ll be fine. I understand why the Overseer is doing things this way.” He damn well got the move to private offices, better to ascertain just how to save face and keep peace while keeping control. There was no missing the buzz of his pip-boy and he’d lay money the reason sat wide-eyed and bleeding on the floor. 

Hunter relented grudgingly and moved to where Arianna still sat, silent and watchful up against the cold steel bulkhead. Pain had settled in to stay, bone deep and aching from so many parts of her body she felt like a giant wound. All she craved was somewhere soft to lay down and process the entire mess but apparently they were going the police state route. Seeing Chris on his knees with his coworkers on guard made her father’s words roll around inside her head like hyperactive hamster on a wheel. He and Hunter had tried to help, her father had nothing to do with it but he too apparently everyone was going to pay the price for her wayward mouth.

So it was a unusually silent Arianna that let much stronger hands help her to her feet then sweep her off them when she stumbled and caught herself on the wall with a whimper of repressed pain. Hunter carried her to the security office on the admin level, glaring at anyone foolish to even start a comment and still furious at the way things were being handled. 

Once in the security headquarters, Wolfe put the boys in three of the four and directed Hunter to place Arianna in the remaining cell with a slightly apologetic please. Even to his untrained eyes the girl was a mess and the fact she’d held her own against that many impressed despite his disapproval at the entire situation. Hunter settled her on the cushioned bunk as gently as possible, leaning in to press his lips to her ear and keep anyone from eavesdropping. “I know you want me to check on Chris and your dad.”

Arianna interrupted him with a shake of her head that brought a little whimper of distress but managed to keep her comment sotto voice. “Check the pip-boy too. I did what I could.” He’d only started to pull away when Armstrong pushed past him to yank at her arm with keycard in hand. Mewling softly she tried to struggle till Hunter snagged the other officer’s elbow and shoved him back. “What the hell?”

“She needs to relinquish her pip-boy.” He made another move to grab at her.

Hunter snatched the keycard and body blocked Armstrong. “Don’t touch her.” Blue eyes probed brown but there was nothing in Arianna’s pain filled gaze but acceptance. A mind like her’s did well with probabilities and this situation had been scripted well before it actually happened. Even with security clearance, nothing out of the ordinary would be revealed from her unit. A click as he overrode the biometric lock and her much leaner pip-boy dropped into his open palm. 

Shoving it at the other vault guard, he stood menacingly. “Take it and get the fuck away from her. You’re part of the problem and you know it.”

Armstrong tossed it to O’Brian and motioned for Hunter to leave. “Out. Jonas is on his way. He’s the only one besides Chief Hanlon and the Overseer who are permitted in this cell.”

Knowing that smashing the smile off Armstrong’s face with a fist would only make it worse, Hunter ruffled Arianna’s hair before stepping outside and watching the door slide shut with a somber frown. He did turn, face to face and no sign of backing down with the same ferocious mien. “That goes for everyone here. Anyone touches her or threatens to, I’ll make sure Chris isn’t the only threat you’ll be looking over your shoulder for.” A last nod to the slender girl huddled on the bunk and he left, heading towards his quarters and privacy.

Not long after Hunter left, Jonas appeared, face set in angry lines as soon as he set eyes on his best friend’s daughter, waiting patiently till Wolfe relented and opened her cell first, totally ignoring the directives from O’Brian to assist the boys first. “Hey kiddo, how you feeling?” Kneeling, he dropped the emergency aid case on the bunk next to her and with gentle fingers lifted her chin to examine her face. A nod and he popped the locks on the case, pulling out a few instruments and got to work. 

“I see you did a bit of damage yourself.” The lidocaine pod in the auto injector spread a cool wave along cut and abraded areas of her face while he either synth-skinned or cryostitched her injuries one at a time. “Your dad’s training paid off.”

Arianna made a soft huff of assent. “Yeah. Thank god Chris and Hunter showed up when the did though. I was kinda struggling there at the end.”

Another once over before he stood and nodded to the bunk. “Lay back. I need to check what I can’t see bleeding.” The palm medical module gave a quick x-ray of her internal workings while he physically moved clothing aside to peer at the flesh over bone. Bruises mottled the usually tawny skin, both red and purple as Jonas gained a better idea of just how much punishment she’d taken, something that made the angry line of his jaw even tighter. “You’ve got fractures of the ribs in two places, not much I can do for those.” Pausing, he kept the unit moving. “And it looks like the radius is as well. That’s going to need a flex cast.” 

While the cast inflated around the injured limb, he prepped the auto injector one more time. “This is for the pain, should help you sleep. I get the impression that this won’t be handled until morning.” A quick pinch and a hiss on the unmarred right bicep and the medication spread with a cooling wash. 

Jonas sat there till the meds kicked in, watching Arianna’s lids droop before sliding one of the emergency blankets over her. “It’ll be fine Raina.” She didn’t move as Jonas signaled for one of the lingering security team to open the cell up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

James paced, impotent and furious at his lack of information and the guard currently stationed within a stones throw outside the door. When voices filtered thru the metal expanse, he strode over and yanked the portal open to find Hunter and Jonas arguing with Officer Wolfe. 

“He deserves to know what is going on and his daughter’s condition…” Jonas’ cheeks were stained with anger.

Hunter, hand upraised stopped Wolfe from responding, his own words tight and snapped out with obvious animosity. “Did anyone tell you he was to be kept in the dark?” Wolfe shook his head but opened his mouth to argue when James exploded.

“GOD DAMMIT! Tell me what in the hell happened to my daughter!” 

His thunderous gaze bounced from one face to the next till Jonas spoke up. “I looked her over James. She’s got a few cracked ribs, radius on the left has hairline fractures but I flex cast it. The rest is just bruises and a few lacerations that I repaired….” 

Almost finished, Jonas flinched as James interrupted again. “How did this…”

Hunter cut in. “Butch. He and his boys ambushed her on the lower levels.” He sighed and wished Chris his partner had been able to come along for this. No getting around the fact that the Doc just intimidated the hell out of the short of the pair. “Chris is confined to quarters after going after Mack since it looks like he assisted…”

“You don’t know that.” Wolfe chimed in but there was little anger in the comment. He agreed with Hunter but knew better than to go against the Overseer. 

“But she’s down in security? They’re keeping her in the brig?” He still couldn’t believe it, still struggled with processing it.

Seeing his friend’s barely concealed confusion, knowing the anguish he must be in the grip of, Jonas tried his best to soften the emotional wave. “She cut a swathe James. Dislocated Butch’s elbow and I’m pretty sure that John Randall is going to need some reconstructive surgery on his knee. Considering there were eight of them…”

James stared. “Eight?”

Hunter groaned internally but nodded and laid a hand on Jonas’ arm to halt the flow of words before they got the Doc any more worked up. “The training, between you and Chris and I with the boxing….well she took care of business.” He spent the next five minutes filling in the gaps and dealing with both men’s outrage about having to wait till morning before giving Wolfe a terse nod and leading Jonas away. Time to head back to his quarters and get hold of his partner and see just what the files Arianna had sent contained.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning dawned painfully for Arianna, a whole body misery that made even the smallest movements excruciating. Laying prone for a long moment, the dark head swiveled as her cell door opened, revealing Hunter of all people. “Am I being sprung?” Even smiling hurt so the grin she flashed seemed dim.

“I wish.” Striding forward, he stopped and crouched near the bunk, helping as she struggled to sit up. A compassionate hand lifted her chin to stare down at her battered face. “Damn girl. I thought you looked rough last night.” His tone held a teasing lilt but the furrow between his brows said more and Arianna sighed. “Don’t stress, the sympathy this garners might work in your favor.”

Sticking out her tongue, Arianna snickered then groaned. “Don’t make me laugh.” The smirk faded. “I’m assuming tribunal? Closed of course.”

Hunter’s glowering face said it all. “Dammit, they didn’t even give you a change of clothes…” Leaving her seated on the hard bunk, he stepped out to rummage through various lockers and came back with a pair of utility coveralls. “Yeah, even though by vault admin rules they’re supposed to be open to anyone who wants to attend.”

Handing them over, Hunter turned his back while she changed. “And before you ask, both Chris and your dad are doing fine, just pissed as hell that you’re having to go this alone.”

Arianna struggled for a moment, wiggling out of her clinging exercise pants and into the bottom part of the coveralls easy but the shirt proved to be too much, whimpering as she sat down in defeat. 

Hearing the soft mewl of discomfort, Hunter turned with a “You need a hand…” but the rest of the sentence died as he caught a glimpse of the bared skin revealed by a shirt that hung from neck and right shoulder. Chris’ fascination and lack of control made so much sense now, full curves and creamy skin would titillate the most hardened of the male genome but the vivid splotches of purple and muddy brown stole his voice for a moment. 

“Raina…” A tender touch drew her to her feet and assisted with the last of her stained clothing but stopped her from pulling the rest up, doing a slow circle with a growing fury in his blue eyes. “Jesus, I thought keeping Chris from destroying Butch and his boys was gonna be a task but this…” Halting in front of her, he aided with the arms and let her handle the zipper with the slightest of tremors as knuckles brushed her bare flesh. Better him than the other guards but even bruised that tight, youthful body tempted. 

Oblivious to Hunter’s struggle, Arianna nodded. “It looks worse I’m sure.” Best to pretend it didn’t feel like she’d been tossed down every staircase in the vault. Pasting on an anemic smile, the slender brunette grasped her fractured arm in her good hand and nodded towards the cell door. “Shall we? I’m sure this whole debacle will be good for a laugh.”

He snorted as a hand settled at the small of her back to lead her to the admin level, glaring as one of the vault security officers approached with cuffs but refrained from speaking until they were out the door. “IF you can keep your attitude under control.”

Arianna peered up from under her lashes, that playful smile taking on a sly edge. “Really? You got Chris’ approach down pat. Maybe you two need to take a break or something cause you’re like a mini version of him lately.”

A snort of laughter was the only response as they left the brig behind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The atmosphere in the outer office of the Overseer reeked of somber pretension, Almodovar at the center with Chief Hanlon on his left and a half dozen security in attendance. The other ‘offenders’ had been brought up earlier and were seated on one side of the room while a single chair sat opposite, making Arianna grimace. Didn’t take a genius to see how this would proceed.

The Overseer glanced at the young girl dispassionately, expression blank as he nodded towards that single seat. “Put her there and you can leave Officer Morgan.” The words made her stomach clench but she kept her face as empty as his. Hell if they’d make her squirm too.

Hunter led her over but turned to stand in a mirror image of Hanlon’s spot, expression determined. “With all due respect sir, I’ll stay.” With deliberation, his stare encompassed the entire room before coming to rest on Almodovar’s face. “Not one person in this room has her interests or safety under consideration and it would be a violation of our charter to leave Ms Talos without representation in such unusual circumstances.” He didn’t come out and say the entire undercover meeting was a huge red flag but you could assume the implication. A few of the security team there moved uneasily, Mack notably absent but his two compatriots refused to engage Hunter’s glaring sweep of the line of blue uniforms.

“Safety? That bitch is a menace.” This from the crowd of Tunnel Snakes which earned them a withering glance but most probably swung things in Hunter’s favor.

“Very well. Have a seat.” Almodovar indicated a chair near the other vault guards but Hunter just shook his head and remained right where he stood. Exhaling with what seemed to be irritation, the overseer continued. “As far as these proceedings go, all that transpires behind these doors is considered confidential save for the outcome and as such, verbal agreement is binding.” A pause as all did the ‘agreed’ out loud, even Arianna after a nudge from the man behind her right shoulder. “This concerns the incident from last evening in the lower maintenance level between Arianna Talos and the following individuals.” He listed all eight of Butch’s cadre, including Chief Hanlon’s son then looked to that faction with a raised eyebrow. “Who speaks for you?”

Butch stood with a thin grin tossed in Arianna’s direction. “I do.” When asked for his version, the tale started with a little lie and piled into a mess of bullshit and fabrication so deep the crowd in the small room needed hip waders. Even the security detail had varying expressions of disbelief but none met either Hunter’s or Arianna’s pointed stares. 

When Butch finally trailed off, the Overseer nodded and looked to the battered girl who still managed to pull off composed despite the assortment of bruises and busted lip. “That entire mythic parable of what happened is complete and utter bullshit. It was a set up, pure and simple. How they found out Stanley called me down....” 

Groaning silently, Hunter deliberately squeezed the left shoulder till Arianna squeaked with pain and halted her comments. “I don’t think he did. I talked to Stanley last night and he went to bed with a headache fairly early in the evening. Do you mind?” Not waiting for a response, Hunter stepped up to the terminal on a desk by Hanlon and after a flurry of keystrokes turned and pointed to the monitor on the far wall. “She’s right about it being a set up but it’s easier to show this instead of trying to explain.”

The close-circuit footage rolled, showing the entire altercation in black and white from the moment Butch’s little cadre gathered till Almodovar called a halt, right at the moment four of the accused pinned the much smaller girl up against the bulkhead and started to rain blows on her upraised arm and torso. For the first time during the proceedings, he actually took a moment to look her over, seeing the black and purple bruises not hidden by the oversized utility suit and fragile appearance the injuries gave her. “I must say Officer Morgan seems to be accurate and you are not at fault for this altercation though I will warn you young lady that you did bring some of upon yourself with the impudent and shameless behavior of late. See that you follow the tenets of the vault from this day forward so this doesn’t happen again.” 

He nodded at Hunter and missed the outrage on Arianna’s face, the visage fading to a pained grimace at the fingers once again digging into a nerve point. “Ms Talos is discharged from this proceeding and any further action against her. Remand her to her father’s custody.” Shifting his regard to the assembled Tunnel Snakes, the Overseer’s countenance became glacial. “As for you boys…”

Neither Hunter or Arianna heard the rest as they were ushered out into the hallway. Sighing, the burly security guard spun the smaller female around and deterred the hand slapping at his chest in one quick grab as he leaned in to press lips to ear. “Dammit, keep your mouth shut and let me get you out of here before you get into any more hot water.” His touch gentled as that arm drew her into him, leading her to the elevator to the lower level.

As the doors slid shut, Arianna rounded on him. “Really? Did you have to..”

Hunter cut her off with a grin. “Stop you from digging an already big hole any deeper? Yeah.” The humor faded, remorse shining in the depths of his eyes. “I didn’t mean to hurt you Raina but that mouth of yours, even if it’s speaking the truth, gets people going. And not in a good way.”

He tried to pull her into a hug but she struggled, wiggling free while gripping the arm with the cast to stop the jarring around. What little pain relief Jonas had provided the night before had evaporated, leaving her tired and achy. “What about Chris? And my Dad?”

“Chris is still confined to quarters. I’m sure the overseer’ll deal with him next though his expression while watching the footage has me hopeful that he’ll get a slap on the wrist.” When the doors opened he pulled her along with him, down the hallway towards her quarters to where a blue uniformed officer still stood guard. “We lucked out they picked a hallway with surveillance.” Shoulders lifted in a shrug. “And that you had the presence of mind to snag the footage and send it to both me and Chris. It was gone when I tried to access it through other channels.”

Quieting as they approached the door, he nodded to Wolfe’s replacement. “She’s been remanded to her father and you’re officially on normal duties.” Hunter waited till the man disappeared around the corner before pushing the comm unit, making a big show of handing her over to her parental unit when the portal opened. “She’s all yours.”

The play of emotions on her dad’s face, shock, relief, horror and no small amount of anger when he scanned her from head to toe proved to be the final straw and the distress Arianna’d buried throughout the whole ordeal broke free with a welling of tears. “I’m sorry daddy…” 

James pulled her into his arms, tight against his body and kissed the top of her head, his own eyes suspiciously bright. “Sweetheart you have nothing to apologize for.” He glanced at the other male, question in his eyes.

“She’s okay.” Hunter couldn’t contain the grin. “The Tunnel Snakes though, I think they’ll be on refuse duty for some time.” 

He would have said more but his comm-link buzzed to life. “Morgan, get your ass on patrol. We’re short staffed with the tribunal in session.”

Giving Arianna’s loose ponytail a tug, he nodded to the Doc. “Duty calls. I’m gonna check on Chris and hopefully we’ll both be back over later tonight.” 

James watched him follow the same path as the other guard before pulling his daughter into the safety of their rooms. “Come here, let me take a look at you.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When the door buzzed, Chris didn’t move. Still seated on the sofa in the living area, he just swirled the last inch of scotch in the bottom of the glass and waited for the comm-link to open with demands. “Sebastian, time to see the Overseer.” The smile twisting his lips held little humor, just a cold derision to match the icy rancor in his eyes. Draining the last amber dregs, he stood as the door glided open to reveal Armstrong and Gomez. Thanks to Hunter’s timely call on the link set up by Arianna, he already knew she’d come out as unscathed as possible so what happened seemed moot. Truthfully he only had one regret and one concern, he regretted not killing Mack when he’d had the chance and that had left Arianna open to further attempts to quell her. 

Glacial eyes skimmed both men before dropping to the cuffs in Gomez’ hands. “You really don’t need those.” He paused waved a hand to the hallway. “Shall we?” The comment was gracious but devoid of anything but a need to get this over with. 

Flanked by the shorter men in blue, Chris’ confidence as he strode down the hallways to the upper level drew more than a few eyes after the parade of security from earlier proceedings and he met each stare with a nod and controlled smile. There was no mistaking his popularity with the residents of the vault which probably explained why instead of taking him to where the tribunal had just ended, they walked him to the door to the overseer’s inner sanctum and waved him in. “Go ahead, he’s waiting.”

An eyebrow shot up but he walked in with the same ballsy assurance and assumed parade rest stance when he reached the desk. Almodovar indicated the chair on his right. “Have a seat.”

Chris gave a negative shake of his head. “With all due respect sir, I’ll stand.” He kept his eyes on a point to the left and above the seated head of the vault. 

Sighing, the Overseer shuffled papers for a second. “You and your partner, you will not make this easy.” Finally content with the surface before him, he folded his hands and looked the much larger male over. His standing in the vault was one reason they were doing this, to come down on the man after the assault on the Doctor’s daughter smacked of conspiracy. After the scene in the gym Chris had won over many of the more condemning of the security force detractors and in a word, Almodovar needed him on his side. 

“I will be honest with you Officer Sebastian. I don’t like problems in the ranks. I know you and the younger Officer Mack have had issues here and there but I can not find proof that he is culpable. Know that I will keep an eye on him but I do expect you and Officer Morgan to avoid further disagreements from here on out when you return to regular duties tomorrow. Any other issues bring to my attention.” 

Chris didn’t glance at the Overseer’s face, just tipped his head in a brief nod. “Understood.”

At the continued impassivity, Almodovar shifted some files before speaking again, almost as if he needed to work up the courage to push through to the next topic. “This girl, Doctor Talos’ daughter. It’s obvious to most residents you and your partner spend an inordinate amount of time with her. Are you that….fond of her?”

That got a response, Chris dropping his fixation on a discoloration on the wall to the man behind the desk. “Why do you ask?” The direction the conversation had shifted to made Chris’ stomach clench. He was sure they’d been so careful.

Leaning back till the chair squeaked, the Overseer gave the larger man an ingratiating smile. “She’s attractive, a bit of a handful but a more than acceptable choice of life partner.”

Had he been less in control, Chris’ mouth would have dropped open in shock. As it was, he just stared

At the lack of comment, Almodovar continued. “I know she’s under age but only by a few months. While I cannot reasonably change the age restrictions we abide by, I can give special permission for you to court her until her maturity.”

Blue eyes narrowed as he stared the older man down, still unable to comprehend the sudden about face. “And if her father has a problem?”

Almodovar smiled thinly. “He won’t.” He paused, gaze intent on Chris’ countenance. “Is this amenable? I think your influence would have a steadying affect on the young lady.”

Behind his back, hands clenched but the terse nod indicated his assent. “It would be.”

The Overseer bobbed his head. “Excellent. Then it’s settled. You’re dismissed.” Pulling the file closer and opening it, the vault leader ignored Chris until he left. Only then did the man look to the door the big vault guard had closed quietly behind him with a frown.

Outside, Chris pinged Hunter and messaged him before heading down to the living quarters level.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The pair ran into one another in the elevator, Hunter giving his partner a shoulder punch followed by a one armed bro hug. “Shit, I didn’t think we’d make it out of this unscathed. Heard you’d be back on duty tomorrow.”

Chris snorted and shook his head, giving the bottle in his friend’s hand a pointed glance. “Aren’t you still on duty?” 

“Nah, had to pull a double thanks to you.” When the doors opened the pair strolled towards the Doc’s quarters and after a moment he had to ask. “Thought you’d be a bit more chipper about all this.”

Chris just shook his head in a negative and rang the comm on James’ door. “No. Mack’s getting off without any consequences I suspect and….” His voice trailed off when the doc answered.

Hunter stepped up though and waggled the bottle. “Gotta reason to celebrate Doc. Even scrounged up a bottle of the good stuff.”

Chris was less exuberant. “Can I see her?” A moment’s pause. “Please?”

James waved both men inside. “Of course, but she’s sedated so I’m not sure she’ll wake up. It’s been a bit of an ordeal.” Indicating the sofa, he walked over to the kitchen area and began to gather glasses. “I have both of you to thank I think?”

Chris nodded but didn’t go sit, instead moving towards the only closed door and slipped inside with as little noise as possible. A seal dark head on a pillow and slight form under blankets caught his eye and he crept forward, going down one knee next to her bed. Tender fingers brushed the hair off her forehead, making Arianna stir and move enough to reveal her features and the injuries that marred them. Jaw clenched, he slowly drew the blanket down just a bit to reveal the bruises on her arms, tracing the marks with a visible tremor. Renewed anger bubbled up but as lashes fluttered he squelched it, forcing a smile as his lady peered up with sleepy eyes. “Hey.” Leaning down, lips brushed hers with delicate pressure to avoid further pain.

“You’re out. What happened?” Lifting her good arm, Arianna traced his bearded jaw with as much of a grin as she could muster. 

Grabbing those fingers, her turned her hand palm up and pressed a kiss in the center. “I go back to full duties tomorrow. And…” Pausing, Chris wove their fingers together. “Much to my surprise, Overseer Almodovar gave me permission to openly court you.”

Arianna giggled then winced as the movement jarred her ribs. “No more hiding...well at least while you’re out and about.” The delighted smile faded. “But you have to wonder why..” Already that busy mind started to churn despite the cloying effects of the sedatives running through her body.

Shaking his head, Chris settled her arm back down and kissed her forehead before standing, not missing the still heavy eyelids. “No, you need to rest. You took a hell of a beating. I’ll come by later tonight if your up to it.”

Arianna wanted to argue but her retort got smothered by a yawn. “Fine.” A soft laugh followed. “I’m glad I didn’t get us all busted.”  
He leaned over again, face set in stern lines. “Arianna, you did nothing at all. This is on Butch and the rest so don’t take blame that isn’t yours.” The expression softened. “Now sleep.” Another delicate kiss and he took his leave, shutting the door and joining the two other males in the living room.

“Yeah, the tape clinched it all. I swear…” Trailing off when he saw his partner, Hunter waved him over with the extra glass held up. “Now come tell your end.”

Snagging the bourbon, Chris flopped down onto the sofa and took a sip. “Not much to tell. Overseer basically said no evidence to prove Mack had a thing to do with that ambush.” He took a long swallow and rolled the glass between his palms. “And gave his permission for me to court Rain despite the age restrictions with the understanding I make it official when she’s of legal age. He feels it would be a steadying influence.”

Hunter just stared, James’ nostrils flared as he spoke. “And if I disagree?”

Chris glanced up, apologetic but unrepentant. “Not a problem, we’ve already settled that but the Overseer wants her under control.”

The two men stared each other down, the two facets of burgeoning adulthood, father relinquishing his child to her mate and the one with the biggest problem spoke first. “I’m going to hold you to that promise Officer Sebastian. Because if you misstep, you’ll be paying from both directions.”

Surprisingly silent, Hunter watched the byplay as he sipped, finally laughing when Chris retorted. “I completely understand that, but believe me when I say I’m more intimidated by her wrath than yours at this point.”

“Yeah, I can see that as can the Tunnel Snakes after last night.” Leaning back, Hunter started to tap on his pip-boy screen. “Doc, you wanna see the video?”


End file.
